Afraid of the Dark : Part I
by HayNet
Summary: Jack returns to a planet she'd rather forget and Riddick is now a hired assasin with no shortage of jobs. But what if one of those he has to kill, is someone he's learned to feel for.
1. Prolog

**Afraid of the Dark : Part I**

**It ain't me you gotta worry About**

**-oOo-**

**Author:** HayNet aka Kayleigh M Charman

**Summery:** In a bid to start a new life, the three survivors of T2 struggle to find their way to the Muslim haven; Mathos Wenga. But a dark figure in Jack's past comes back to haunt her and only Riddick can save her, but will he choose to stand by her side and allow himself to care for another human being, or will he leave Jack to her fate?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pitch Black, Dark Fury or The Chronicles of Riddick. Nor do I own the characters of all three films.

**-oOo-**

**Rating:**15

**Language:** Frequent/Strong

**Sex/Nudity:** Rare/Mild

**Violence:** Frequent/Strong

**Other:** Mild Horror


	2. We should have stayed at the Ship

**Chapter One**

**We Should Have Stayed At The Ship**

**-oOo-**

_Jack wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but fear chocked any noise from exiting her mouth, instead she stood planted in the sand, unable to move, unable to drop the torch from her sweaty palm. _

_Black shapes darted in and out of her line of sight, the fading sun allowing her only the glimpse of a leathery wing, or the glisten of razor fangs._

_Jack's eyes tingled with tears, her lungs felt frozen but her nerve endings were on fire. Ahead she saw the wreckage of the Hunter Gratzner, the twisted corpse of the former spaceship merged with the ground as if it had been there since the planet had begun._

"_Jack!" A voice screamed._

_The girl held her breath, unable to move, unable to see who was calling her. But the voice called her almost every night, every time the same petrified pleading call of someone in fear for their life._

"_Fry?" she found herself whispering. A single tear rolled down her cheek, a tear of mourning for the friend she could never save._

"_Jack! Save me please! Oh God!"_

"_Fry" Jack took a tender step forward, pushing the torch out in front of her. The movement seemed to cause a stir in the air. The sounds of wings got louder, more frantic, and then calls, those awful blood-curdling screams in the sky._

"_JACK!"_

_With a gasp and sudden burst of energy, Jack pushed forward, waving the torch in front of her, trying to ward off the monsters that circled her up ahead._

"_Fry!" she called more urgently. Her feet pounded on the cold sand, her heart beating so loud it was all she could hear in her head, save for the excited shrill calls from above._

_The Hunter Gratzner was getting closer, she could see it's bruised exterior, but then a leathery wing enveloped her, blocking everything from sight. Jack screamed and skidded to a halt, her feet failed her and she toppled over onto her stomach, the torch was ripped from her hands as she shielded her head from the razor sharp claws that broke the skin on her back. She felt the hot blood trickled down her spine._

_Go for the sweet spot, just beside the spine. Bastards!_

_Jack frantically pushed herself up, regaining some balance, and sprinted forward, her head down, her eyes frantically looking out for the creatures, or for Fry._

_A flurry of talons and wing fell down on her, trying to pin her to the ground, but still Jack fought and screamed as she pushed herself forward, then out of no where, she tripped over something protruding out of the ground._

_Jack twisted herself around, trying to get back onto her feet and crawled on all fours back the way she had come, her desperate out stretched hand grabbed something soft and cold, she pulled herself further forwards and as her eyes adjusted she caught sight of a hand, then an arm and finally a torso._

_Jack reached her hand over the body, her hand fell into something warm and moist and sticky, pulling her hand back, she saw a shimmer of red. Blood._

"_No!" Jack screamed. Every time it ended in this, the torn body she had draped herself over was Fry. Jack saw her face, her eyes wide open, her mouth in a silent scream._

"_Fry!" she yelled into the dead face._

_Then suddenly the eyes came to life and a bloodied hand grabbed her own. Fry lifted her head off the ground, boring her eyes into Jacks._

"_You're next" she hissed, and something hideously large illuminated in the sky. The silhouette of a monstrous creature, talons extended and drool-ridden teeth swooped down towards the girl screaming for her life._

"_NO!" she screamed, pinching her eyes shut._

Jack threw herself up, away from the creature and found herself not caught in the vice like grip of a corpse come to life, but tangled in the scratchy sheets of a small and dark bedroom.

The girl leaned forward, resting her head on her knees. A shiver shot down her spine, causing her to sob as she remembered the nightmare that haunted her every time she closed her eyes at night.

"Fry" she whimpered silently. She suddenly felt all alone, suddenly vulnerable, and suddenly unsure of herself. She tucked her knees up to her chin, clamping her arms around her shins.

"Another nightmare kid?" A deep grumbly voice spoke from the darkened corner of her room.

Jack buried her head in her lap, trying to wipe the tears away on her linen trousers.

"It's nothing" she mumbled, "Just not sleeping well"

"You know kid, you aint on that planet no more. Ain't no monsters you need to be worrying about"

Jack looked towards Riddick, his goggles were off, and exposing the spooky silver orbs that illuminated in the darkness.

"What about you?" she mumbled.

"I ain't gonna hurt you kid, but I still ain't no saint" he smirked.

Jack couldn't help a smirk too, "Did I wake you?" she asked, aware that this was probably the fifth or sixth time in a fortnight Riddick had been in her room to sooth her tortured mind.

"No, but I think you woke the Holy Man"

Jack chuckled, both of them were aware that Imam slept liked a bear in hibernation; a meteor storm could not even wake him.

Jack rubbed her legs that still prickled with the fear her nightmare had caused, suddenly feeling very embarrassed, as she did every time Riddick came to her after her dreams.

"I'll be OK now Riddick"

The man nodded and took a step backwards towards the door, "See you in the morning kid. Sweet dreams" he smirked again.

Jack took a deep breath and crawled back under the covers. Daylight had only just begun to creep into her bedroom, so she figured she had another four hours in bed before Imam came to get her for Morning Prayer.

Jack defensively pulled the covers up to her nose, like she used to do back at the Orphanage she spent her first six years in. But back then; the monster had been her stepfather, not leathery winged beasts of a dead forsaken planet. But now, it wasn't the blanket that provided some reassurance of safety. It was the man lying in the next room, with his goggles perched over his eyes. It was Richard B Riddick. Escaped convict, murderer.

Who would have guessed it?

**-oOo-**

**A/N : Let me know your opinions, obviously no flames unless it's constructive critisism.Cheers, KC.**


	3. Little Physco Fuck Family

**Chapter Two**

**Little Psycho-Duck Family**

**-oOo-**

Jack only got another forty-five minutes sleep that morning. The rest of the time she spent resting on her back, recalling the past six months of travelling from planet to planet in hope of reaching the planet, Mathos Wenga without being caught by any Mercs or cops.

And what was on Mathos Wenga? Redemption? Safety? A home? Jack didn't know. Imam had spoken of a Muslim Temple where he had spent two years teaching and practising his faith. He said they could stay there, at least until the heat was off Riddicks back. The news were only just starting to circulate that the oh-so-bad and dangerous Riddick had died somewhere on a God-forsaken planet, torn to shreds by monsters that fed on darkness.

Jack's eyes darted to the window as the first rays of the sun poured in over her dingy little room. The dust floated and sparkled in the light, emphising what a shit hole this place really was.

Jack had never been accustomed to a comfortable home, in fact, it was only in the past six months she had actually had a bedroom to call her own, save for a few weeks when she was forced to share a room with Imam and Riddick. But she couldn't complain this time, she had her own room, there was a kitchen with areasonably stocked fridge freezer, which was by all means the most precious posession anyone on the planet of Eros D. There was only one sun, but it was close enough to the planet to cause the temperature to soar up almost to 150 celcius during midday. The planet was effectively dead of all natural plant life or water. Supplies were brought to the major cities from the nearby planets, and the nearest city to the small suburbian wasteland they were currently holed up in was Tetu 8. A city with no purpose other then the vast amount of oil that ran like blood under the cracked and dry sands of the city.

Jack heard the floorboards creak outside her bedroom door, instinctively she slipped her hand under her pillow for the shiv. She had stolen it from Riddick when they fled that planet. She liked the feel of it; she felt its power, especially when she watched it in Riddicks hands. It was her safety object, her lucky charm. Some kids had teddy bears, she had a ruthless weapon.

There was a light tap on the wooden door, Jack signed, pulling her arm away from the pillow.

"Yeah, I'll be right out" she called. Swinging her legs out of bed, she ran a hand over her shaved head and rubbed her eyes furiously.

Imam was already in the stone room when she was ready to join him.He was sitting on his knees perched in front of multipal candles. This room was always surprisingly cool, unlike the rest of the house, it was mostly made of stone. There was always asoothing sensation everytime she stepped on the stones, but as she did so, it reminded her of the cold sands in her dreams and in her memories.

"Come" Imam spoke from his sitting place.

Jack dropped to her knees beside the Holy man, resting her backside on the heels of her feet. Silently she closed her eyes and listened to Imam's strong voice as he chanted his prayers. Jack took a deep breath and repeated the same prayer she had made everyday for the past six months.

'I pray to forget my nightmares, I pray for Fry and for Shazza, for Zeke and for Paris. I pray for Imam and Riddick, who rescued me. I thank you for bringing Riddick to me, because even though he hates you, I know you brought us together for a reason. Please, please don't let him leave me, I need him. Amen'

Jack remained silent until Imam had finished his prayers, then she was excused for breakfast, which was a god send considering howthirsty she was.

Riddick was already in the kitchen, standing over the sink chugging down a luid mixture he had concucted.

"What's in that shit?" Jack smirked, pulling open the fridge and retrieving a bottle of pop.

Without looking in her direction, Riddick held the glass to eye level, as if inspecting the contents.

"Two raw eggs, milk, two spoonfuls of iron powder, quarter of a steak and an orange"

Jack crinkled her nose, "Sounds like shit" she swigged her pop and watched Riddick drop the glass in the sink for Imam to clean later. As he wasn't one for housework, Imam did most of it, never once berating Riddick for making too much work for him, as he knew the answer he would get.

"You wanna spa today?" Jack asked, tossing the now empty pop bottle into the bin beside the fridge.

"Got plans, kids" he spoke.

Jack bit her tongue. She knew perfectly well what his 'plans' were, it was a less morbid way of telling her he was planning on breaking at least several laws. Jack sighed and threw herself on one of the plastic chairs that sat around a small table in the centre of the room.

"So what is it this time; someone want you to pop a guy? Rob a bank?"

Despite being disappointed that Riddick would not be spending the day with her, she was always fascinated with the jobs he got. Of course he didn't work as Richard B Riddick, that man had died back on that planet. Now he was Vinnie, assassin and thief for hire. But behind the closed doors, he was back to being Riddick. The same man with a shiny baldhead, black goggles, tight tank tops and those beautiful dangerous eyes.

"Ain't nothing you need to be concerning about, kid. Rent's gotta be paid, we only need another two hundred credits to make it off this shit heap and make the next stop"

Jack eyed Riddick, "Which would be…?"

Riddick turned on his feet, leaned against the sink and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Zathos" he answered plainly.

Then something happened that Riddick would not have expected. Jack seemingly jumped at his word and snapped her large sparkly eyes towards him in a genuine look of terror mingled with something else, something deeper and darker.

"You okay kid?" he asked before stopping himself.

Jack looked deep in thought, or more like deep in a hidden memory that was far to terrible to even imagine. Then suddenly, her eyes returned to their natural size, and she blushed, as if being caught doing something she shouldn't have been doing.

Nervously she rubbed her legs, "Course, no problems" she smiled.

Riddick frowned. Jack smiled nearly all of the time she was around him, there was always a glint in her eye of an innocence he had never encountered in anyone else. Her smile was always the broadest and cheeriest, but now, the light was gone and her smile looked painfully forced. This was the first time Riddick had ever seen Jack lie through her smile, and it unnerved him.

Jack bounced off the seat, "I'm gonna run into town, get a few supplied. You want anything?" she asked, not looking Riddick in the eye.

Riddick cocked his head, trying to read something in her expression, but it had suddenly turned cold and unreadable, "No, I'm fine. Be safe"

Jack forced another pursed smile and darted from the room. Riddick suddenly felt the warmth of the room chill to the core.

Casually he shrugged off the feeling of concern he had for Jack. When she was ready, she would tell her what was bothering her, but then he reminded himself, Jack always said what was on her mind, she had never kept anything from him. So what was so important and upsetting that she felt she couldn't tell him? He forced himself again to shrug it off and went about getting his disguise to finalise the details of his 'job'.

**-oOo-**

**A/N: Please review, I thrive on the comments you give me! Cheers, KC.**


	4. Don't you Cry

**Chapter Three**

**Don't you Cry**

**-oOo-**

Jack felt like she couldn't run fast enough through the dusty and dead alley ways of the city. Her feet slapped hard against the hard ground, and the heat was already producing droplets of sweat on her brow.

Then, without so much as a warning, a sob broke from her throat, and her eyes began to sting. She angrily wiped the threat of tears from her eyes and stumbled to a stop, and for a moment she just stood there, allowing certain memories from her haunted past to come back to her.

Zathos.

She hadn't heard that name for years, not since she escaped it three years ago. She could still see the planets dark cloudy skies, the cold harsh storms and the mud thick enough to swallow a person in a few seconds.

Jack had wanted to forget what had happened there, she had wanted to remove from her mind the fears that engulfed her. She leaned against the sandy yellow wall of a nearby house and crouched down to the ground, allowing her fear to swallow her whole.

She squinted her eyes, squeezing out as many tears as she could, trying to drown out the memories. But instead of fading away, they flashed before her closed eyes, like moving pictures.

White tiles, sterile and cold. Screaming. Blood smears. Handprints of red streaking across the white walls. Silver flashes of scalpels and bone saws.

Jack's eyes jumped open, her head resting in her outstretched hands. Her tears had already dried on her face, making it feel leathery and taunt. Furiously she rubbed at her skin with her palms, trying to wipe away her weakness, and without any reason, she coughed out a laugh.

She was fifteen years old, fifteen, and already there were two planets that she had fled in fear of her life. Who could say that? For years she had suffered nightmares of Zathos, and the horrors of those three years, but T2 had momentarily distracted her from those memories. And although she awoke in a cold sweat, to the screams of Fry and the terror of the monsters, they were nothing to the dreams she had suffered after Zathos.

Jack took a deep breath, leaned her head against the wall and swallowed back whatever remaining emotion she had left.

She knew Riddick had seen her expression, and she knew he wasn't stupid enough to have missed it. But she didn't know why she didn't tell him. She told him everything, anything. But for some reason, she had always left that part of her life out. Maybe because it would make her appear weak. Maybe because it was agony to relive those three years.

With a final sigh, she determinedly pushed herself off the wall and made her way into town, trying desperately to forget her worries and remember what it was she had gone into town for.

**-oOo-**

**BatPhace - I do tend to write quite swiftly so grammer and spelling is pretty much left second! I will be getting back to it later on when I've finished Part I though. Thanks for the compliments.**

**HappyDays - Thanks! I can't believe I got that good a review after just 2 chapters, but awesome!**

**FitMama - Thank you, I will keep it up!**

**Foracious - Cheers mate! Another cheery comment for me.**


	5. You Work without Chains

**Chapter Four**

**You Work without Chains**

**-oOo-**

It was almost noon and the heat was at its worst, the citizens of the city were heading for the cover of shade away from the sizzling heat. Riddick stood patiently, waiting for the last shopkeeper to close up and disappear before he made a move.

He stepped out of the darkness of the doorway into the intense heat of the sun. As Vinnie, Riddick was forced to disregard his trademark goggles and go for a pair of cheap black rimmed sunglasses. The only problem was the little light that still got in through the gaps between his temples and the corners of his shades.

Riddick reached his hands over the back of his head and pulled over his scalding scalp the hood to the long black robe he wore over his black t-shirt and trousers. It wasn't the wisest of colours in this heat, but what other colour would suit the bad-ass assassin?

He tried to keep in the shadows as much as possible as he headed toward the inner city, not only to keep out of the scolding light, but also to remain hidden from those braving the heat to carry out their business.

Riddick knew he should be thinking about his 'business arrangement' but he couldn't get Jack out of his mind. Not since she fled the flat with that terror in her eyes, and that lying smile. He knew whatever she was keeping from him was something serious, and something that scared the shit out of her. He knew he shouldn't push her, he knew he didn't have a right, but a part of him that he thought was long gone, cared for her more then he wanted to admit to himself.

He found himself staring at a large metal door, hidden deep within a sheltered alleyway. Riddick was almost angry with himself for thinking about Jack instead of what was coming next. He had to sort his mind out, sort his priorities. He needed this job, he needed the money, or they'd all be stuck on this shit-heap planet for a hell of a lot longer then he'd planned.

With a clenched fist, he banged three times on the metal, a deep boom vibrated along the sandy walls. In less then five seconds, the metal plating of the spy hole was pulled back, and an angry pair of dark eyes glared out at him. Riddick said nothing, he just starred back, not allowing his expression to twitch or change.

The man on the other side of the door pulled the plating back in its place, he heard a key turn in the lock and watched, as it swung open exposing a large burly man in a smart blue suit. He nodded Riddick in, standing to the side to let him pass.

"Hiller's in the back. He's expecting you" The man croaked.

Riddick cocked his head, signalling that he heard him and walked forward through the paint peeled wooden door.

Heavy loud music hit his ears as soon as he entered the club floor. Already there were twenty odd people on the dance floor, mostly young prostitutes flaughting their wares for the rich businessmen in sharp snappy suits sipping spirits in the darkened corners.

Riddick stood for a second, taking in his surroundings. The bar was straight ahead, but to the left was the VIP section, cornered off by trashy velvet rope accompanied by another two hefty bodyguards.Walking over to them, he pushed aside a young blonde with a skimpy dress who was trying to gyrate up his side. The bodyguards stiffened as they saw him approach. He stood before them, his eyes boring into their own until they finally backed down.

The VIP table was consumed in darkness, but as he moved forward, and his eyes focused behind the shades, he saw a singular figure sitting alone at a small round table, hosting two shot glasses, and a half empty bottle of scotch.

The man was Hiller, a large man with two many rings on his fingers and gold in his mouth. He wore a black suit complete with black shirt and red tie. His face was round, red and splodgy from too much alcohol.

"Ah! Here's the old mucker" he droned in a thick English accent, "I was wondering if you were gonna show" he added lifting a glass of brown liquid to his lips.

Riddick stood for a moment before sitting carefully down opposite Hiller. He ignored the second shot glass that Hiller had pushed towards him.

"Gotta get paid" Riddick replied allowing a sly smirk to escape his lips.

Hiller smiled and raised a glass, "Now ain't that the bloody truth" and he swallowed the drink in one gulp and slammed the glass back down on the table.

"What's the job, Hiller? You know I got plans to hop this place"

The other man forced a smile, "Ah, straight to the point I see. That's what I like about you Vinnie. That's why I've recommended your valuable services to some, er, rather influential friends on Zathos"

Riddick cocked his head, "And who said I'm making my way there?"

Hiller chuckled, "I might be from some fucked up backwater, sandy shit hole, but I know that the nearest planet to anywhere even remotely liveable is Zathos"

Riddick nodded, "Smart man, but I ain't keen on having my services advertise through the galaxy. Not that kind of assassin"

"I get that" Hiller nodded, "Been getting a lot of arse wipes in here offering their services. Trying to fill Riddicks shoes since the Big Bad met his big end"

Again Riddick cocked his head; Hiller took it as an expression of confusion.

"Heard rumours on the grapevine that Riddick is no more" he explained smugly, "Got himself chewed up by some fucked up monsters on a dead arse planet"

"You gotta be shittin' me?" Riddick smiled.

"A pretty fucked up way to go, could've really used his services" Hiller said, swigging another shot of whisky.

"Didn't think he was a killer for hire"

"He would be for my rates" Hiller laughed, "Hell, I pay you enough!"

Riddick shifted in his chair, "Which brings us to why I'm here"

Without a word, Hiller turned his attention to one of the bodyguards standing by the velvet rope. He flicked one finger in his direction and with a nod, the man left his post, pulled something from inside his jacket and handed it to the awaiting hand of Hiller. He snatched it and waved the bodyguard away.

Riddick watched as Hiller opened the package and pulled out an assortment of documents, "The influential friend I was telling you about" he began, "he sent me this as a matter of urgency. He needs it to be clean and quiet"

Riddick sat up, "You mean a hit"

Hiller nodded and sorted through the papers, "The blokes in the outer city, working as a messenger boy. Should be no problems for a big guy like you"

Riddick nodded at the papers, "What does he look like?"

Hiller pushed a photo towards him. It was an action shot, a guy, not even mid twenties was on a tacky hover bike. He was skinny, short hair, no threat in a fight.

"Any deadline?" he asked, pushing the picture away.

Hiller pulled out a cigarette from a pocket inside his blazer, popped it between his lips and from another pocket pulled a fancy silver lighter.

"A.S.A.P" he said through pursed lips, "The money's in the envelope"

Riddick reached over and grabbed the white envelope. He peered into it, shifting through the notes.

He smiled, "A thousand credits?"

Hiller lit the end of his cigarette and tucked the lighter back in his pocket, "That's the kind of pay you get when your work for Snipper"

Riddick gave an amused smile, "Snipper?"

Hiller smiled politely, "Don't be fooled. He's the deadliest man in this quadrant"

"I'll remember that. Nice to know who I'm working for"

Hiller smiled, "So you'll take up his offer?"

Riddick cocked his head, "Would be pretty fucked up if I said no to this," he said waving the wad of cash.

"Man after my own heart" Hiller smiled, dragging hard on the cigarette, "I'll let him know your coming"

"How do I contact him when I get to Zathos?"

"He'll contact you" he smiled.

Riddick sensed the meeting was over so got to his feet. Hiller copied.

"Nice making business with you Vinnie. I hope to use your services in the future" he put out his hand. Riddick took it.

"Ain't gonna be back here for a while, Hiller. But I'll let you know if I drop by" he took his hand back, scooped the documents up, tucked them into his robe and left the bar without a backward glance.

He pictured his target in his head. Easiest grand he'd ever made. That kid was as good as dead.

**-oOo-**

**Emmabug - Wow, I LOVE your reviews. I was having a few problems getting this chapter up, althoughwise I would have done it ages ago. But here it is!**

**BatPhace - I was going to go in a whole different direction. But you can't beat a good hospital storyline. Plus it'll probably work out better this way. Cheers for the review.**

**Amita4Ever - Yeah, I'm taking my time a little more with the next few chapters. I'm starting to run short on ideas for quotes I can use for titles though!**


	6. Rejoin the Human Race

**Chapter Five**

**Rejoin the Human Race**

**-oOo-**

Jack returned home a little after Riddick had left his meeting with Hiller. She was relieved to find that Big Bad wasn't there; she didn't want him to see her red eyes and her pale cheeks. She's tried pinching them to bring some colour back and she tried waving the boiling air into her eyes to try and dry them out, but with no success. She still looked liked she had been crying.

After throwing the bag of crisps she brought in her room, and storing the large bottle of cider in the fridge, she found herself standing before the alter in the stone room. The temperature had somewhat increased since the early morning; making the room feel more like an oven then a tomb.

Jack walked slowly towards the wooden cross that hungon the far wall. The candles were still alight, washing different shades of yellow across the floor but Jack couldn't take her eyes off the crucifix. There is was, the symbol of a vast and old religion, a symbol of faith and hope, but also of power and pain. Imam had told Jack all about Jesus, all about his crucifixion and his resurrection. She had been fascinatedby the story of one man powerful enough to escape death itself.

Whenever Riddick had happened to be in the same room as them, as Jack listened to Imam's stories of Chrislam, he would smirk and snigger to himself whenever he spoke of the good deeds and the sacrifices Jesus made for humanity. Imam had at first given him disapproving looks, but soon ignored them all together.

Jack wished Riddick would pay attention to the tales. She wanted him to realise just how like Jesus he really was. A man born into a cruel world, feared and condemned by many. And then in his darkest hour, becomes the saviour, her saviour.

But now as Jack looked at the crucifix, it became less of a powerful and prominent symbol, and more of a taunt. Angrily she spat on the cross.

"You were never fucking there for me when I needed you!" she yelled, "You don't care! You don't care about me!"

Angrily she swiped the candles to the ground, "You're no saviour you son-of-a-bitch" she snarled, "Riddick's my saviour, he's the one who came back for me, not you! I only wish he was there on Zathos, he would have protected me! You let them do those things to me! You let them hurt me!" her rage boiled to its climax, and she hauled the cross from the wall, slammed it to the ground, and with all the force she could muster, stamped on it till it broke in two.

Jack felt her rage instantly cool as she realised what she had just done. No way could she explain this to Imam, and definitely not toRiddick. In a desperate attempt to cover her tracks, she picked up all the candles, put them back in their proper place and cleared up as much of the spilt wax as she could.

The cross still lay, broken on the ground, unrepairable. The best that Jack could do was push it nearer the wall, to make it look like it had fallen from its mount and shattered on impact.

The front door slammed, Jack spun around and fled the room. She head footsteps walk towards her. Desperately she ran down the corridor, burst into her own room and threw herself onto the bed.

Her door opened behind her and Riddick's head appeared, shrouded in a black hood. She tried her best to act surprised to see him and tried to look natural.

"Hey!" she bounded to her feet, "How did the meeting go?"

Riddick pulled the robe off of him, "Better then expected" he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. He was looking at Jack intently, as if trying to see something that wasn't there.

"You cool?" she asked.

Riddick lifted his head up, "Fine. How about you? Get what you wanted in town?"

Jack grabbed the crisps from her bed and showed them to Riddick, "Salt and Vinegar. My favourite" she smiled.

Riddick nodded and cocked his head, "You seen the Holy Man?"

Jack shook her head, "Not since Morning Prayer"

A silence fell over the two. Jack found it uncomfortable, the way that Riddick was trying to hold her gaze, as if trying to read something from them. Jack averted his gaze.

"So did Vinnie get a good pay day?" she smiled

Riddick smirked, "Enough to get us to Zathos, if that's what you mean, Baby Bad"

Jack allowed a small smile, which to Riddick seemed almost sad. Baby Bad was his pet name for her, it always made her smile. Something inside her always warmed to the name, it was personal, it was just for her. She had always thought of nicknames as something families and friends shared, which was something she had been void of for most of her life.

"When are we leaving?" she asked as innocently as she could.

"Tomorrow night, I got to do what I was paid to do" he explained.

Jack felt the familiar stab of disappointment whenever Riddick declared that he was going out. A part of her always feared he would never return, and she couldn't bare thinking of that.

"Fancy some dinner first? We got frozen lasagne in the freezer," she chirped hopefully.

Riddick smiled, "Always time for dinner, Baby Bad. You get it ready, I brought some beers. I'm sure the Holy Man won't mind us starting them without him" and with a sly wink, he left the room.

Without hesitation, Jack wondered into the kitchen, pulled two plastic plates of lasagne from the freezer. She grabbed the Micro Emitter, a long cylinder the size of a relay baton, flicked a switch and waited for a soft red glow to emit from one end. Slowly she waved the Micro Emitter over the two lasagnes and in no time, both were boiling hot and ready to be eaten.

She tossed the Emitter away, seized two plastic forks and knifes and went about setting the table as best she could. She even went as far as to take two of Imams alter candles and set them between the two plates. When she was satisfied and sat down to wait for Riddick, he walked in holding two clear glasses of beer. Not surprisingly, hers looked as though it had been watered down and depleted.

Hungrily they both tucked into their meals with zelious. There was a comfortable silence accompanied only with the sounds of teeth grinding, glasses tinkling and the scwelch of meat and cheese.

Jack found her eyes constantly wondering to Riddicks face. He seemed far more interested in his dinner then in her, which today she seemed relieved of. She had expected him to grill her about that morning, but he hadn't, he had left her well alone. Maybe he wanted to leave it to her to tell him when she was ready, maybe he would ask another time, but then maybe he just didn't want to know, or care. She shouldn't be surprised if that was the case; he had no paternal responsibilities to her. He wasn't her brother, or uncle or even her godfather. He was Riddick, and she was some girl he saved, but by all rights he could have just dropped her anywhere and be done with it. She never really did understand why he kept Imam and herself with him, of course she didn't question it, it would probably cause him to think of it too and just leave themwhile he continued on the run.

The crackle of plastic awoke her from her thoughts, Riddick was already on his feet, his plate licked clean, hers barely half finished.

"Nice grub kiddo. Gotta be off, don't wait up" and without another word, he left the kitchen and then the apartment all together.

Jack remained behind, stabbing her plate with her fork. She licked her fingers and stubbed the flames of the candles before her. She was alone. Again. She found herself unable to finish her meal so gathered together Riddick's shaving wax, her stolen shiv and a broken old mirror she had found in the room she occupied.

She sat at the kitchen table, rubbed the thick wax over her scalp, and carefully drew the blade along her skull.

She didn't know why she still dressed and acted like a boy. It had always made her feel safe, ever since leaving Zathos she had taken on the identity of 'Jack', an orphan boy who ran away from several foster families and orphanages in the hope of making a life on his own.

Then Riddick had come along and changed all that. He had seen right through her disguise. She had never liked adults before, they were the ones who had hurt her and treated her like a disease. Riddick had treated her like he did everyone else, maybe not lovingly or friendly, but not as a stupid kid who didn't know any better. So she had taken on his identity. Shaved her head, worn the goggles, tried to be as hard and as strong as him so that she would never fall into weakness again.

She still had the goggles from T2, but along the way to the Muslim haven, she had purchased a new pair, jet-black like Riddicks. She stored them away in her backpack, and never wore them in public in case rumours of Riddick began to circulate again. They worked much like a mask, she put them on, and somehow she was no longer weak and powerless, she could fight the world, be the baddest she could be. Just like Riddick.

But she knew that even the goggles could not protect her from the horrors Zathos would bring back to her. So what should she do? Admit her fears to Riddick? Give him more of a reason that she was a liability to him? He would surely leave her if he knew her past, if he knew what had been forced on her. Why would he keep someone so weak and so powerless with him? She couldn't let him find out, because living without Riddick was not an option. She needed him, and she knew deep down, Riddick saw this too.

**-oOo-**

**Amita4ever - Cheers for the advice. Checked out a few websites and got some good quotes stored up for a few more chapters.**

**BatPhace - Thanks again for the good words. You going to have to wait a few chapters before I reveal Jack's secret!**

**TweakyTree - Excellent review, cheers for that. I am really trying to update as fast as I can on this story.**

**Foracious23 - Nah, this chapter doesn't reveal Jack's secrets, but watch this space!**

**A/N :**** I should probably also note that some people might be offended by the whole smashing the cruxifix and swearing at God thing. If so, I am sorry, but I had to add it as part of the storyline.**


	7. Where is your God?

**Chapter Six**

**Where is your God?**

**-oOo-**

It took all of five hours to reach the outer city. He had to travel through it, dodging the police hover cars and the multiple 'Neighbourhood Watch' security drones.

Ever since the temperature had become almost bearable again, the streets had reopened to a wave of citizens, going back to their lives after the two-hour siesta. Riddick was beginning to think that one thousand credits maybe wasn't enough for the risks he was taking to reach the hit.

The streets were heaving with people, so he had been forced to take back alleys, to take fire escapes and sewer pipes. By the time he'd reached the inner city, he'd already begun to stink of week old human waste and saw his share of dead cats and sewer rats.

Finally he resorted to stealing a hover bike and burned through the burning sand roads. He was almost there.

He never thought of his victim. Never thought of the life of a man he was about to take, didn't care to think if he had a family, a house or a cat. He just thought of Jack, and how he didn't want this life for her.

**-oOo-**

Imam had spent a fruitful day at the Michamic Chrislam Monastery. He went most days, trying to earn forgiveness for failing his protégés. He would pray up to seven times a day, he would light a candle for each of them every morning and weep for them every afternoon. He should be thankful he was still alive, thankful he didn't have to die on that planet, but he wished he could have died in their place. Especially the youngest, Ali, he had found that boy wondering the streets, stealing food to survive. The boy had tried to steal from him, pinch his remaining credits right from his robes. But as he ran, a local shop owner caught him by the neck and threw him to the ground. Imam had come to his rescue, and took his unconscious form to his Chapel. The police had wanted to throw him in a young offenders institute. But he refused to press charges and took the boy into his care.

Imam found himself back home after the siesta. He found Jack in her room, her head scalped once more. It disturbed him on some level that she tried to look like Riddick. She already had an unhealthy fascination with gore and violence. He knew he wouldn't get through to her because Riddick had too much of a hold over her, but it didn't mean he couldn't try. That was why he told her the stories and encouraged her to join him in Morning Prayer. He didn't know what she spoke to God about, but he was glad that she did. Riddick was a lost cause; he had lost his faith in everything, except maybe Jack. His eyes came alive whenever he looked at her. He didn't know quite what it was he saw when he looked at, but it was something that kept him alive, something he had faith in.

And like a craving, he needed to pray again. Except when he went to kneel before the crucifix, he didn't find it on the wall, it was broken on the floor. He grabbed at the shards, trying to fix it together again, but with no success. He took a deep breath. Was this an accident? Or a sign from God? Was he testing his faith?

Imam got to his feet and went to find something to stick the two halves together.

**-oOo-**

Riddick stood with his back against the brick wall. He looked to the sky and saw the dark clouds begin to sweep over the merciless sun. He had to move.

He peeked around the corner. A hover bike sat outside a dingy little shanty house. The hit was at the door of the house, he was delivering a pizza.

A pizza boy. What the fuck was so threatening about a pizza boy? What had he done to deserve death?

Riddick cleared his throat. He didn't give a shit. He could be a rapist, murderer, paedophile, shit, he could be the fucking employee of the week at Eddy's Pizza, and it wouldn't mean anything to him.

He heard the footsteps of his target return to the hover bike. Without a hesitation, he pulled himself up the guttering of the brick wall. He jumped onto the roof and watched the red taillights of the hover bike pull away up the dusty road.

Riddick ran throwing himself forward, following the bike up the road, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. His robe flew out behind him, like bat wings of a creature of the night. Up ahead the bike took a left, into the dead lands. It was ten miles of empty sand until you hit the next block.

Perfect. Riddick smiled.

He jumped onto the fire escape of the last house, using the pole of the street lamp to swing down to the ground. He jumped onto the hover bike he had parked and ready, revved up the power and stormed after the boy.

He had about two minutes before the kid hit the next block. He pushed the bike forward, forcing it with his own body. The taillights were getting closer and closer, he could see the kid sitting on the bike. He seemed to be in his own little world, completely oblivious to what was going on around him.

Riddick steered with one hand and pulled a shiv out of his trousers with the other. He was within five metres of the rear of the bike. The kid sensed something wasn't right and looked behind him. He sees Riddick and looked right in his eyes.

"It ain't personal," he whispered, more to himself then anyone else. He jumped up onto the seat of his bike, and pounced like a coil into the air. He spun over the boy on his bike, who could only watch in horror as he pulled the shiv out from under him, slashed out with one powerful movement and landed on his feet in the cooling sand.

The hover bike dove nose down into the sand followed by Riddick's own ploughing into the back of it. An explosion ripped through the muggy air as both bikes hurtled along the sand like a meteor.

Riddick looked up and clenched the shiv in his hand; he could feel the warm blood of his prey on his fingers. He'd done his job, now he could move on.

The kid lay in the dirt, his eyes still open in horror, his throat slashed open. It had been quick, the best way to meet the end. Riddick hauled the body over to the flaming wreckage and tossed it into the flames. And without another glance, he turned on his heels and headed back into the city.

**-oOo-**

**Amita4ever - Well, as I said before, once I've loaded the whole story, I'll go back and sort out all the niggly grammer mistakes, etc. And about Jack's faith in God? Well, I can't explain that without giving away too much of the storyline. But in personal experience, you don't need to believe in a 'higher power' to have a full life. Maybe Jack might figure this out herself :-)**

**A/N : My reviewers seem to be abandoning me! Come back!**


	8. Never had a Doubt

**Chapter Seven**

**Never had a Doubt**

**-oOo-**

The guilt of what she had done to Imam's crucifix ate at Jack's insides. It wasn't because she feared God's wrath, or that she believed she would be going to Hell. It was imaging Imam's face when he saw the symbol of his faith lying shattered on the floor. She knew his faith had already been shaken by the events on T2. He had lost everyone he was supposed to protect and lead on that planet.

So once she had finished eating her crisps, she vacated to the bathroom, feeling a terrible need to clean herself, again and again until the guilt finally washed away. The bathroom was simple at best, the toilet did flush but only if you pumped on the lever long and hard enough. The sink stood just to the left of the toilet, a cracked mirror overhead. The shower however, was just a drain in the floor and a showerhead nailed to the wall, which only produced two temperatures; cold and freezing.

Jack turned the water on, waiting for the gurgling and banging of the ancient pipes to subside before the water began to trickle out of the showerhead and splashed onto the stone floor.

Jack slowly began to peel her clothes off. Her baggy t-shirt stuck to her back, but the cold air felt refreshing as she finally got it off over her head. She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. Her reflection worried her deeply. Already she was developing curves and bumps where boys did not. Her breast had started to develop about a year ago, but as they grew along with the rest of her, she found it harder and harder to hide them. Now, she was forced to use elasticated medical gauze she had brought from a chemist on the last planet they had passed through. The idea was that it stuck to itself creating a tight bind around her chest, compressing her breasts as close to her as possible.

Slowly she began to peel the gauze from her, freeing her chest from its restraints and looked at reflection with sorrow and frustration.

"Stupid tits" she growled with tears pricking in her eyes, "Why the fuck did I have to be a girl"

Being female had caused Jack nothing but trouble in the past. Maybe that was why she still did not dress or act like a girl. It made her feel weak, it made her feel vulnerable. Dressing as a boy had been her only line of defence, and now that was failing her.

She felt disgusted with herself, she felt betrayed by her own body. She stripped the rest of her clothes off and jumped into the shower, allowing fresh tears to run down her cheeks while she rubbed soap into her curves to clear the sweat away.

Finally she was satisfied that was as clean as she could be, she wrapped a towel around herself, picked up her dirty clothes and tiptoed to her bedroom. Her pyjamas were laid out for her, but first she wrapped the gauze back around her chest, when finally she was satisfied that she was as flat as she could get herself she got into her linin trousers and baggy white t-shirt.

Fatigue began to settle in, but past experience had taught Jack that it was always useful to have a glass of water by your bed on a planet that was soaked in sunlight for most of the day. Silently, she padded into the kitchen, where she was surprised to see Riddick sitting alongside Imam. She couldn't hide the relief and pleasure in her voice in seeing Riddick home and safe.

"Big Bad!" she beamed and threw her arms around her hero's neck. Riddick couldn't suppress his own smile at this warm welcome home and patted her arm.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked.

Jack released her grip on his neck, "Oh come on Riddick! It's only ten-thirty" she smiled at Imam, but he did not return the favour, in fact his expression was as cold as Riddicks normally was.

"Imam?"

The older man shifted himself in his seat, "I was just talking to Riddick, Jack. Maybe you should go to bed now" he replied.

Jack looked from Imam to Riddick. There was a chill in her stomach, could this be about the crucifix?

"Imam's right, Baby Bad. I'll speak to you in the morning" Riddick growled.

She looked from one man to the other, trying to read something in their expressions, but they were both as dead as the other. She gave up and began to walk out of the room.

"Just one thing before you leave, Jack" Imam said.

Jack turned on the spot, looking expectedly at the Holy Man, "Yeah"

"I don't suppose you know what happened to the cruxifix? I went to pray earlier and found it in shards on the floor"

Jack felt her insides go cold again and gulped down a new wave of guilt, "Nope, you sure it didn't just fall?" she suggested.

Imam lifted his head, as if to get a better look at her, but she averted her eyes, "Night" she mumbled and left the room and the accusing stare.

"You blaming my girl for something, Holy Man?" Riddick smirked, chugging down another gulp of beer.

Imam sat still, staring placidly at Riddick's face.

"You killed someone tonight. Didn't you" Imam voiced. It wasn't a question, it was simple statement.

Riddick got to his feet; "I ain't doing this with you, old man"

"You had blood on your hands, Riddick, you can't tell me you did not rid a human being of their life tonight" he demanded.

Riddick leaned over the table, resting his knuckles on the surface.

"I ain't doing it for pleasure this time, Holy Man. This is about the money; we ain't got much of a choice of career out here, especially me. I think both of us can agree I ain't suited for a fucking desk job"

"But murder?" Imam said in exasperation, "We live on blood money, we live when others die!"

Riddick slammed his fists on the plastic table, making his glass of beer topple over, "I don't give a shit about them. I'm concerning myself with number one. You and Jack are along for the ride, so if you can't put up, you can always find a way to your haven some other way"

Imam rested his head on his palms, "I cannot live like this. Knowing you kill, knowing you commit crimes while I turn the other cheek. How can I live with myself? A man of my faith? And Jack…? A child cannot grow up like this, believing that murder is acceptable, living her life on the run. By God, Riddick!" he cried, "she should be living with a family, getting an education, becoming a respectable member of society!"

Riddick yanked his goggles off and starred angrily into Imam's own eyes. He revelled in making Imam shift uncomfortably under his stare, "An education and a respectable job can't prepare you for the real world. Neither of us knows about her past, but we both know she ain't come from a loving family who spoilt her. We can't all have that privilege!"

Imam stared back, "If you think I grew up privileged then you are very much mistaken Riddick. I had to struggle and starve like any other poor soul in this Universe. But I found my God; I found my faith and survived. Jack needs faith-"

"She has faith in me!" Riddick yelled defensively.

Imam rose to his feet as well, "In you?" he whispered sadly, "You, who were so willing to let her die back on that planet. You who kill for a living and find pleasure in it?"

Riddick fell silent, staring at Imam. Of course the Holy Man had a point. What right did Riddick have to raise a child? But he was not willing to let her go just yet, he owed it to her to get her to safety before he even thought about leaving her. But what Imam had said, about him willing to leave Jack to her fate on T2. That had struck something deep within him. Yes, he had planned to let the monsters tear her and Imam to shreds. Had it not been for Fry, he would have been the only one who had left that planet.

Riddick tensed the muscles in his jaw, he straightened his back and looked down on Imam, "I'm taking Jack off this planet first thing in the morning. You're either coming with us, or not at all. But I ain't waiting"

Riddick turned to leave.

"She deserves more, Riddick. Don't allow your selfishness to counter common sense" Imam spoke. But Riddick was out of the door before he could finish his sentence.

Exhausted, Imam collapsed onto his chair and rested his head in his hands. He knew Jack had destroyed the crucifix, which meant she had lost her faith in God. Maybe it was because of the demons in her past, Imam obviously had been unable to counter such horrors. But with Riddick constantly showing her down the wrong path, and with her so willing to follow, he found himself useless to both of them. He was better off leaving the two together. Maybe they would be able to mend one another in ways only they could. But he knew that trying to teach them the ways of his Lord was fruitless, they would only find faith in each other. But how long would it take for them to realised it? and what would Riddick do when he finally realised he had a responsibility to this child? He shuddered to think.

**-oOo-**

**Amita4ever - Thanks for the interest! I'm still going strong!**

**BatPhace - Wow, and I thought I'd lost your favour. Cheers mate!**

**Foracious23 - All be will answered, but in good time. :-)**

**A/N: I've had a few comments on the religious aspects covered in this fic. It's true to say that most authors' own point of view do tend to come across in their work. So when it comes to religion, I'm rather skeptical as I don't believe in God or the Bible or any other kind of religion. I'm not an Athiest though. I do believe we go somewhere after death, just not Heaven or Hell. And I do believe in the soul, or a persons life force if you will. So if any of my anti-Christian ot anti-Muslimviews upset or offend you, I'm sorry you feel that way, but at the end of the day this is a ficticious story and I'm not holding a gun to your head so don't read it if it offends you. But to the others, cheers for being my loyal readers and enjoy! Cheerio!**


	9. Mush On

**Chapter Eight **

**Mush On**

**-oOo-**

Nightmares plagued Jack's sleep, only allowing her a good ten minutes of peaceful slumber. But then the flashes of steel and blood fogged her mind, caused her eyes to search hopelessly under her closed eyelids. She awoke several times, tangled in her sheets, a sheen of sweat coating her brow, chest and back.

Riddick came in once, when she suffered a particularly bad dream involving a sharp needle penetrating the skin of the inside of her arm. She felt the fluids in the syringe enter her body, burning through her blood stream.

Luckily, Riddick had thought it was another bad T2 dream, and had soothed her with his low grumbling voice before returning to his own bedroom. Once she had calmed, Jack looked at the soft pale skin of her inner arm. In the pale light, she could just make out the tiny little pink wounds. Nervously she rubbed it, willing them to go away. But just like the dreams, they didn't.

It was an hour before sunrise when Riddick called on Jack to get her things together. She felt drained and exhausted from kicking at ghosts in her dreams. Slowly she began to pack her things, trying to drag it out and hope that Riddick might declare that he'd changed his mind about leaving for Zathos, or maybe taking another route. But Jack and visited the local library and checked the archives. But whatever way you looked at it, the path through Zathos was the quickest way to Mathos Wengo.

Packing didn't take very long, even as she tried to drag it out. She didn't own much; just the clothes she wore to bed, a few baggy shirts and trousers, and of course her underwear. She stored her shiv in the waistband of her shorts and yanked on her big black boots. She took a moment before she left the room, to force a mask of excitement over her stone cold fearful expression. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard before stepping out of her room for the last time.

Riddick was waiting for her in the hallway by the door. His black duffel bag was slung over one shoulder.

"And I thought I was the last one!" she beamed, "Where's Imam?"

Riddick turned his back on her to open the door, "Holy Man stops here. He don't want to be travelling with a convict"

Jack frowned and looked over her shoulder, as if expecting Imam to walk out of one of the rooms, "But Imam's come this far. Why ditch us now?"

Riddick shrugged, "Got some issues with my choice of occupation" he saw the sad look in Jack's eyes, "Don't worry kid, you still got me" he said as he herded her out of the house.

Jack was a little comforted by his words, but she still wanted Imam to come with them. She had been counting on his support and affection while she faced her demons on Zathos, and she knew that if Riddick did turn his tail and run when he figured that Jack was too much to handle, at least Imam would be there. But now she had no fail-safe. Imam was gone; he'd abandoned them, and just when she needed him most.

It took them all of ten minutes to reach the nearest hanger. Considering the city thrived on import from other planets, the citizens needed all the space transport it could get. Hawthorn Spaceport was a shabby second-rate selection of hangers. It wasn't the most popular place for space travel in the city, but they did sell shuttles cheap, which was just what they wanted.

The main hanger took up most of the port; this was where the more impressive and expensive space shuttles sat. These were the X5's, SuperNovas and JR-1000's sat impressively, while hawkeyed customers in snappy suits and elegant dresses studied the wares.

"We're over here" Riddick cocked his head to another hanger; the metal of the structure was red, black and brown with rust. A number of spare rusty parts stood guard outside the entrance. To Jack, this didn't look promising.

"So I'm guessing it's not a high class SuperNova?" she forced a smile, chasing Riddick as he strode towards the hanger.

"You don't wanna be in one of the glorified shit bricks. The engine can't stand high speed or erratic manoeuvres"

"Which means it's not the best ship to be in if your trying to get away from someone?" she chimed,

Riddick smiled, "Exactly"

Jack's hopes for a presentable space shuttle only dampened when they entered the hanger. It seemed to be full of spare parts and ships forged by spare and unmatched appendages. She kicked at a nearby engine as she walked around the junk heap, wrinkling her nose as she went.

"There she is" came Riddick from the other side of the hanger. Jack ran over to his side, and looked with disgust at the ship he was pointing at.

It was small. Way smaller then the Hunter/Gratzner. There was only room for four people, and that wouldeven bea squish. The plating was rusted in places, and some parts were even held on with nanotape. As she circled the wreak, she noticed a crack in the windshield and a few dents and scratches on the bodywork.

"It's a fucking Bluebird!" she cried in exasperation, "Theses things went out with the plague!"

"Hey" Riddick growled, "There ain't much you can afford with four hundred credits, kid. Don't sniff; it's our only way off this shit heap. Unless you wanna stick around"

Jack had to look away and hide her face. Of course she wanted to stay, anything to delay or prevent them from going to Zathos. But nothing she could conjure in her head was a good enough excuse for them not to go there. As far as Riddick was concerned, she didn't even know Zathos existed, let alone spent three years of her life being tortured there.

"Let's go" Riddick pulled down the ramp with a great tug and shooed Jack into the Bluebird. A strange smell of oil, sweat and a strange odour that resembled cats wafted around her. Shoving her bag in the overhead compartment, she threw herself into the co-pilots chair as Riddick stored his own belongings next to Jacks.

"So if Imam isn't coming with us anymore, what's the point in going to Mathos Wenga?" she asked hopefully.

Riddick wiggled into his seat to get comfortable and began flicking switches and pushing buttons, "The point is finding some place to keep low. Keep the heat off our backs. Imam said it was safe, I'm willing to trust him on that" he then looked at Jack, his shades so unnatural on his face, "It's the only place we know we can be safe"

Jack nodded, and gulped down her fear once more. It would be weird going to Mathos Wenga without Imam. They might not even let them in, as they weren't Chrislams. The only reason they were going there was because of Imam.

Riddick flicked another switch, causing the engine to roar into life. It spluttered once, twice and then finally remained steady. Jack gave Riddick a sideward glance, which he readily ignored.

Riddick grabbed the throttle and attempted to steer away from the hanger, Jack looked at her lap sadly.

_Goodbye Imam_, she thought, _I'll miss you._

But she looked up when Riddick gave a grunted chuckle. He was looking out of the windshield at something she could not see. She leaned forward, and the first genuine smile in the last couple of days broke out over her face.

Standing their amoungst the junk was Imam, his travel satchel hanging from one shoulder.

Jack was first to the ramp, and once she had it down, Imam was already at the other end. He smiled graciously at Jack, and Riddick appeared at her side to take his hand to help him aboard. Imam fixed him with a very stern glare.

"Know that I only come to act as a guide to Jack. You may be lost to Allah, but she is still in his reach"

Jack looked between the two men, who were obviously trying to stare the other one down. But surprisingly Riddick smirked and took his hand back, "Welcome back, Holy Man"

Once they were all settled, Riddick prepped the ship again, unaware of Jack's ghostly white knuckles gripping hard on her knees. And with a terrible groan and rumble, they exited the hanger and soared into space leaving the sandy planet behind.

**-oOo-**

**FitMama - Thanks, it all becomes clearer later on why she's so determined to stay looking like a boy.**

**Aniah - Cheers for the compliment, here's the next chapter, hope you like!**

**BatPhace - Thanks Batty! Really inspired me to continue with this story. Nice to get comments like that!**

**Foracious23 - Maybe Jack did hear, maybe she didn't. Thought it would be interesting to let the readers choose. But we know now that Imam is gonna stick with them, but for how long? I know what you mean about reading a story, getting into it and then finding that there's still a few more chapters to go! Tis fustrating!**

**A/N : Hey guys, sorry it's taken so long to update. I normally try to gets some ideas formulated when I'm at work and its quiet, but I've been busy non-stop so I didn't get a chance. Hope this is worth the wait though!**


	10. Gotta Kill a Few People

**Chapter Nine**

**Gotta Kill A Few People**

**-oOo-**

The corridors of the cold and dark hospital echoed the footsteps of two men as they walked casually towards the room labelled 'WARD 2' in big white letters on green plastic. One of the men was a tall gangly man, draped in a white doctors coat that seemed two sizes too big for him. He nervously kept pushing his round spectacles up his long croaked nose and tapped the note board he held in his other hand against his leg.

He looked precariously at the shorter man at his side, but his height didn't hinder the fact that this man was a man to fear and respect. Dr Redman was a cruel and cold calculating man who cared more for hard numbers and factsthen morality and conscience. He always ruffled his bushy black moustache whenever he was thinking, and his black hair was always shiny, well oiled and slicked back over his skull. But it was his eyes, which were most disturbing about him. Those cold eyes that seemed to be both void yet full of intelligence.

Dr Redman cleared his throat and looked sideways at his apprentice, "Is he on the way?"

The young doctor refused to look into those eyes as he replied, "Hiller contacted us this morning.The assassinleft Hawthorn Spaceport at oh-four hundred hours"

"Good, he should be here within twenty-four hours. Arrange a meeting place, I want Oldman to make the drop. And only give him three targets, I don't want him getting suspicious"

The apprentice nodded and jotted down the instructions on his notepad, "If you please, sir. Why just this man? Couldn't we get other assassins? It would be much quicker"

Dr Redman stopped outside the door to the ward and peered into the window. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the dark. The rows of hospital beds came into focus, all occupied and all occupants fast asleep or unconscious from hours of torture and surgery.

"Vinnie comes highly recommended. He's quick, quiet and has as much morality towards human life as I do. I can't risk this operation being made public. We've lasted over two decades" he explained, "No one is going to bring us down. I'll make sure of it"

The other man swallowed down the fear that rose from the icy tone of Dr Redmans voice. God! He feared this man,as much as he would the Devil himself.

"And sir, what about the escapees? I have the revised list here"

Dr Redman took the sheet of paper from him and scanned the page, "Seven dead already. Excellent. Just another five to go. Do we have any idea where these two are hiding?" he said pointing to the two names circled in red ink.

"We've got scouts on the neighbouring planets, and one in the city. If they even drop in for supplies or to take a piss, we'll know," he said, smiling at his own joke.

Dr Redman pierced him with a glare that could knock a bull off its feet.

"Jackson. The fate of this operation rests on this man. We're lucky that those escapees didn't bring back hell to take us all out. We need to clear up the mess, I was wrong to assume they would be too scared to come within two solar systems of this planet"

The doctor sighed. He remembered reading the report in a shabby gossip magazine detailing accounts of a man who swore he had spent five years of his life in a hospital dedicated to kidnapping run-aways and homeless people, and using them for experiments and tests. He had hoped it was just a coincidence that the MO of this so-called-hospital matched that of his own, but the man had named names, luckily not his own, but those under him, those who had instigated the torture on their captives. He'd even gone so far as to confess the name of their operation and that it was based in the Queberta System. Dr Redman had to put an end to the rumours, he had hoped the escapees would keep their mouths shut, but the man's blabbering and sealed all their fates. Operation Kronos couldn't not be discovered. It was his whole life, and he would kill anyone to keep it operational.

Next to him, Jackson hung his head. He understood that any of the captives of this place would flee to farthest planet and still not feel safe of the horrors of this place. He'd worked for Dr Redman going on two years, and he had seen things, and even done things that would frazzle the mind, but he did it out of fear and respect for the man before him. But it didn't mean he didn'tregret his actions. He had come to Hart Hospital with dreams of becoming a heroic doctor who saved peoples lives. Instead he had helped destroy and ruin them. But the money far outweighed the moral issues, but every night he found it harder and harder to drift off to sleep.

"Jackson, get Battery Two ready for inspection in thirty minutes"

Jackson jotted a few more notes on the pad as he nodded, "Which study?"

"Pain Endurance" he replied and left Jackson standing outside the ward door with that familiar feeling of guilt weighing down on his shoulders.

**-oOo-**

**Skouris - Cheers for the comment. Tried to check out the forum but couldn't get into it :-s**

**A/N : I thought it was time to give you a little insight into Jack's secret. Enjoy!**

**PS. Have my peeps deserted me! sniff sniff Come back!**


	11. No wonder I'm still Awake

**Chapter Ten**

**No Wonder I'm Still Awake**

**-oOo-**

The sight hit her like a smack in the face.

The shitty Bluebird was falling apart bit by bit as they headed deeper and deeper into the thick grey cloud. They'd been flying overhead for at least twenty minutes, the fog closed in on them like a suffocating blanket, and no one felt more suffocated then Jack. She had grown sick of starring out of the window, waiting to see the terrifying sight of the city.

And there is was, the clouds parted, exposing the terrible building that had haunted her dreams.

The hospital reached into the sky like a stretching hand. It was so tall, that only the top five floors were visible, the bottom floors were shrouded in thick mist. Jack allowed a gasp to escape her lips as she snapped her attentions to Riddick. He sat perched in the pilots seat, steering effortlessly over the building.

"Why are we so close to the hospital?" she whimpered, trying vainly to control the tone of her voice.

Riddick didn't appear to notice it, but something else did, "How do you know it's a hospital? Orders were to use the building as a landmark, it's the tallest building in the city" he growled, his eyes scanning over the buildings lit windows.

Jack ducked to the side; paranoid that someone could see her hiding behind Riddick's chair. Imam thankfully was busy sorting through his belongings so couldn't see the paleness of her face or the pure terror in her eyes.

"I-I guessed, I thought I saw some hospital beds in one of the rooms" she stammered and proceeded to clam her mouth shut, should she give herself away.

"There's a landing stretch nearby. We'll settle her down and find somewhere to spend the night" Riddick explained.

"We have not already been offered accommodation" Imam replied with a hint of contempt in his voice. The tension between the two was evident, momentarily causing Jack to forget her worries. But Riddick merely clenched his jaw before speaking.

"I'm afraid they ain't that hospitable. But then with the fee I'll get from the job, we can afford to stay anywhere" he sneered over his shoulder.

Imam cleared his throat with disapproval, "And may I ask how much a human life costs now-a-days?"

Riddick didn't even look at Imam to answer, "Enough to get the three of us to your precious Chrislam sanctuary without anymore stop offs"

Imam raised his nose into the air; obviously he had more to say, but chose to hold his tongue. He knew better then to challenge the man who had saved his life on more then one occasion, but still had the moral capacity to slit his throat if it served him so.

It took no more then thirty minutes to finally land the Bluebird in an abandoned landing strip, littered with rusty old shuttles and stray dogs. Apparently it was nightfall, but the misty fog that suffocated the trio made it impossible to tell. Jack would have been surprised if they would ever find their shuttle again, as within four feet, it was already barely a ghost in the subtle light.

Riddick took Jack by the shoulder and led her away from the shuttle, reluctantly she allowed herself to be pulled along, but her eyes darted to every corner, every shadow and noise, she could hear her heart hammering in her head, her limbs were cold, but her nerves were alight with hot fear.

Neither Riddick nor Imam seemed to notice her distress, but both shared her sense of foreboding, and Riddick's hand was constantly itching for his shiv. His eyes roamed all around, checking for any movement.

Jack clung closely to Imam's side, trying to look as casual as she could, but the fear clung to her like a bad smell. And Riddick seemed to notice something was amiss.

"Jack? You see something?" he growled, eyeing her over his shoulder.

She automatically dropped her grip on Imam's sleeve and shook her head, trying to act as natural as possible.

"Can't see shit, that's what's freaking me out" she rushed, almost too quickly.

Riddick turned his eyes and scanned their surroundings, the concentration on his face was marked only by his thin lips stretched tight, and the muscles above his eyes tensed. In what felt like an age, he finally looked back at Jack and smirked.

"Nothing there"

Jack gulped down her fear and trotted up behind Riddick as he strolled forward through the thickening fog. Her eyes still wide and alert as if the very fog itself was intent on capturing her.

**-oOo-**

The nearest motel was centred in an old dilapidated town. The houses were made of brick and mud, the roads make with crumbling concrete and telephone wires hung in tangles above their heads. This town was ancient. Hardly worth anyone's attention.

The motel owner was a scruffy old man who coughed between every couple of words. He handed them two keys, the last two rooms in the building, and told them to show themselves down a flight of stairs and down a dingy corridor with only candlelight to show them the way.

Riddick threw one key at Jack, "You and Imam take this room. I'll be next door"

He gave Imam a glance before turning his key in his own door and kicked it open. Imam sighed openly and forced a tired smile, purely for Jack's benefit, he carefully took the key from her small fingers and pushed their door open.

A disgusting aroma of sweat and mould hit their nostrils before they had even stepped into the room. Jack covered her nose with the bottom of her baggy shirt, and felt around the wall for a light switch. Her fingers connected with something, and as she applied pressure, something clicked and a faint light came alive on the ceiling.

The room was appalling. The yellowing pale wallpaper was peeling at the edges, and small stains were splattered in some places. The carpet was simply several mismatched rugs sewn together and stapled to the edges of the room.

The only furniture in the room were the two beds, simple and covered with scratchy thin material.

Jack looked over her shoulder at Imam, he smiled, "Home sweet home"

Smiling too she shoved her things on the farthest bed, and got ready to settle for the night.

Sleep never came to her. Jack lay awake in a state of terrible fear and the familiar coldness of isolation. She thought that if she came to Zathos, she would be able to avoid the terrors of that hospital. But it turned out Riddick's job was smack bang in the middle of it. Was it a coincidence? Was it fate? Was she meant to fight her demons?

But she could not do it by herself? How could she take on the people responsible for the needle scars on her arm, the people who tortured and imprisoned her for three years. Now she suddenly felt so foolish. Risking everything she had fought for, to come back and face her demons. How could she trust Riddick to stay with her, to help and protect her? He made it clear he had no responsibility for her, and why should he? He was a lone wolf, a man out only for himself.

Jack rolled over on her side, as her eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw Imam asleep, gripping his bible like a child would a toy. She suddenly felt envious of him. He believed with all his heart that God was there to protect him, and that he was never alone. She didn't have that faith anymore. She only had Riddick, but unlike a god who was everywhere, Riddick could disappear whenever he wished.

**-oOo-**

Morning came and Imam began to stir, Jack threw the sheet over her and tried to look peacefully asleep. She waited until he had completed his morning prayer and left the room, probably to look for somewhere to eat.

She lifted her head off of the pillow and starred at the door with a frown. It was strange Imam had not woken her for Morning Prayer. It was as if he had sensed she no longer had any faith in the lord.

Any thought of sleeping vanished from her mind. All she knew was that they had to keep their heads down, Riddick had to do his job and they could move onto the next planet. So shekicked the sheets off of her and sat on the edge of the bed, releasing a huge sigh as she did. It was going to be a challenge to keep the horrors of this planet a secret from Riddick and Imam.

_But they have nothing to do with the hospital, _a voice in her head said, _Riddick's just got to kill a few people, then we're off. No need to get involved with the hospital. It's not like Riddick would intentionally go and investigate. He wants just as much attention here and I do._

Jack rubbed her sore head, she only hoped that Riddick would be contacted soon. The quicker he got the job done the sooner they would be gone. But as she rubbed her legs nervously, she couldn't help ignoring a little voice in the back of her head that told her to be vigilant and to remember that she would rather die then go back to that place.

**-oOo-**

**Blueberri304 - Hey, I write it as it flows! Unfortunatly it's flowing in short chapters, but as things start to kick up they will lengthen.**

**Amita4ever - Cheers mate, glad you're seeing an improvement.**

**Batphace - Ah my evil plan is unfolding! Glad you're still in the loop, you're one of my favourites! (blushes)**

**Foracious23 - Actually the Kronos I was refering to was the Greek God who ate his own children to avoid being overthrown as the King of the Gods. But hey, that'll work too! (by the way, Kronos wife tricked him into eating a rock so he spewed all his kids back up! Pleasent I know!)**

**Juju - All in good time my friend! Thanks for reviewing.**

**Luvdarain5 - Well here you go...more!**

**EmmaBug - Well maybe not in this Part, by Part II will definitly see a girly Jack. Shush!**

**Mylifeisamusical - Well we all make mistakes...only joking! Welcome to the gang!**


	12. Not for Me

**Chapter Eleven**

**Not For Me**

**-oOo-**

It was noon when Riddick finally stirred from his bed, he had awoken in the early hours of the morning, but he had felt no reason to move until Jack finally rapped her knuckles on his door.

He called her in, but she took her time. Her face pale, her hands noticeably shaking as she turned her back on him to make sure the door was probably shut. As she turned she plastered a smile on her face and walked to Riddick side, kneeling uncomfortably on the bed.

Riddick hadn't noticed that she was holding something in her hand until she held it out to him. It was a yellowing envelope on common paper. Something Riddick had not encountered in many years. But then, he reminded himself, this town was far from modern.

He took the paper, looking questionably at Jack, "Motel owner said it's for you" she explained as she watched him rip over the envelope, "You think it's from them?"

Riddick shifted his position, so he was sitting on his rear rather then his back, "You don't know what you're talking about?"

"Course I do, Riddick" she voiced as he scanned his orbed eyes over the piece of paper, "So do they say who you're supposed to kill?"

Riddick smirked, "They ain't dumbfucked enough to write that in a letter, Jack"

Jack felt her face burn, she tried so hard to try and make Riddick think she was clever, and then she opened her mouth and said something stupid. After mentally scolding herself, she sat quietly, watching Riddick as his eyes continued to scan the paper. She watched curiously as his eyes showed no indication as to what he was reading. They stayed cold and bare, empty of concern or anger or of any feeling at all. She felt herself wondering if he could feel, anything apart from anger that is. And if he could love as passionately as he hated, what a lover he would make.

Jack suddenly blushed and tore her eyes away from Riddick. What was she just thinking? Did she really think of Riddick in that way? As more then a friend? Father figure? Brother? Well she knew he wasn't anything like a father, and she didn't want him to be, she had always had bad experiences with them. And a brother? No fucking way. Otherwise she wouldn't tingle when he touched her or smiled when he entered a room.

Oh God! She thought, her eyes snapping up to the pair of silver orbs that caught her eyes in their own gaze.

"Jack?" he growled in his deep voice.

She gasped a little and tried to clear her head of those thoughts, "I'm gonna go find Imam" she said and was out of the room in a shot.

Riddick crumpled the piece of paper in his huge fist, with a mind to destroy it later. He had two hours before had to meet his contact, but he was already growing restless. There was nothing in this town to do, everything was ancient or dead. Jack was off somewhere with Imam and he had only her puzzled face to think about amongst the task that lay ahead.

He had seen in the corner of his eye the parting of her lips, her eyes roaming his face, the deep moistness in them. He had seen that look a few times. Small impressionable women who fell in love with a heroic warrior, rather then the murdering convict he was. He sighed. He would have to put an end to this if it went any further. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. How could this happen? He hadn't led her on, hadn't seen the signs until now.

But maybe because he had taken her under his wing, looked out for her, let her tag along. He'd never done that for any other human being, so of course she probably felt there was something behind it.

Riddick leaned back against the wall. He couldn't let this happen, couldn't let it get out of hand. He rubbed his scalp as he realised what he might have to do. He would have to leave her, let her alone to forget him and live a life away from his influence. She couldn't stay with him, especially with those feelings; not for him.

He rolled over, saw the note in a crumpled heap by his leg and decided to exercise before meeting his contact. He wanted to be wide-awake and pumped up, just in case things went south. He wasn't a big fan of trust, and he knew that people willing to pay a big amount for a couple of kill shots, were probably not so willing to part with big cash. He knew he was involved in something a lot bigger then he wished, and asking questions would only end up with him being hunted down himself.

So without another thought, he threw himself to the floor and began his usual three hundred press-ups before the real work out began.

**-oOo-**

**Batphace - Well your sneaky suspicion might just be the right one! I'm not gonna give the plot line away though, so you'll have to see if you were right! And seriously, finding the titles for the chapters is quite hard and takes a while for me to find the right one!**

**Hlp - Lol, I'm trying! Seriously, finding the time to update as well as the motivation and imagination is actually harder then you think.**

**Michelle - Thanks mate, nice to hear you're enjoying the story so far.**

**Foracious23 - Just a quick history lesson for yer! And very good questions, I promise they all will be answered!**

**A/N: Sorry folks, this is a bit of a short one, but basically it was to cover the relationship between Riddick and Jack, obviously it's become more complicated so now I've given Riddick a reason to leave Jack behind, because of her confusing feelings for him.**


	13. You gotta be Kidding Me

**Chapter Twelve**

**You Gotta Be Kidding Me**

**-oOo-**

Jack couldn't stay still; she couldn't sit, couldn't stand, couldn't eat or work. She was now becoming a wreak. After leaving Riddick with her confusing thoughts, she realised there was nowhere for her to go except back to her room.

If she left the motel, she would be seen, but if she stayed she would go stir crazy with fear and boredom. At present, she sat at the end of her bed, her leg shaking in frustration, her eyes staring holes in the floor.

"Fuck it!" she growled and pushed herself off of the bed.

She felt like a prisoner here, even when her ex-captives were nowhere to be seen. She couldn't let them scare her shitless again, besides, last time she had been on this planet, she had been a girl. She had had long black hair, a small girly figure, everything about her was feminine. Now, as she looked down on herself in her baggy three quarter length trousers and stripy grey and white top, she had nothing in common with that girl anymore, she didn't even carry the same name.

Jack rubbed her shaved scalp, finally coming to a decision. She would go out, look around, get used to her surroundings. There wasn't any harm in that was there?

_Not unless they find you and figure you as a new guinea pig_, she thought bitterly.

She angrily eyed the door and clenched her fists. She had to be brave, had to face her demons, and she couldn't do that locked in a room, cowering in fear. In two long strides, she was at the door and wrenched it open, carefully checking the dark corridor. Once she was quite sure it was empty, she pulled the door quietly shut behind her and escaped like a ghost through the front door.

**-oOo-**

Riddick arrived two minute before the deadline. The abandoned coffee shop was well hidden behind a broken down lorry and an abundance of wild growth of weeds and climbing vines.

He ducked below an overhanging plant to be faced with two burly bodyguards in suits. He smirked at the two men who scowled and eyed him suspiciously.

"You must be Snipper's boys" he gave a smile that could have been mistaken for politeness, "Is he home?"

The nearest man, a large round man with dark sunglasses, much like the Riddicks', and had a head of shedding black hair, stood himself up to Riddick. He had his hands clenched in front of him as he studied Riddick hard behind the opaque glass of his shades.

"You got a problem with hearing?" Riddick grunted, "Snipper's expecting me"

The man cocked his head, "Spread 'em" he ordered.

Riddick shrugged and spread his legs a foot apart, whilst the man and his companion patted down his legs, stomach, chest and arms.

Finally satisfied that he was not armed, the larger bodyguard nodded at the slightly shorter one to let him in. Riddick passed him with a smile;

They never checked inside his boot.

The room he came into was bright with the sunlight streaming through a cracked and dusty window on one side of the room. Broken table and chair legs scattered the wooden floor, an old counter where sat a till and other objects such as coffee mugs and salt and peppershakers sat idly and unused.

In the centre of the room, however, were possibly the only unbroken chairs and table, and where sat a tall skinny man in a dark outfit, a thick blonde moustache that sat on his top lip like a caterpillar, and white hair that sat in all directions. He was puffing heavily on a cigar and had a large glass of gin in one hand.

Riddick walked slowly up to the man who politely pointed to the other chair sitting opposite him.

He was still aware of the two bodyguards behind him, but the blond man casually waved them out without a word. Riddick pulled the chair out from under the table, and carefully seated himself so he could get a better look at his contact.

He seemed aged, though probably not over the age of fifty. He had deep scars on his chin and left cheek, and his eyes were dangerously small that they might be sucked into his skull should he squint. It seemed the man was also registering Riddick, as his eyes roamed over his features, but were seemingly more interested in his unseen eyes.

"I can judge a man by his eyes. Please, take off your glasses" the blonde man finally spoke. His voice was as Riddick guessed it would be, husky and dry, probably due to too many cigars.

"Nothing personal, but I like to look into the eyes of a man I'm doing business with, but not letting him see mine. Just a condition of our…business arrangement" he smirked.

The blond man smiled and took a deep drag on his cigar.

"Are you Snipper?" Riddick asked, "Hiller told me to expect contact from a Snipper as soon as I touched down here" he cocked his head.

The blonde man sniggered, "No, Snipper doesn't like to meet the 'help' as it were. I deal with that"

Riddick shrugged, "So I'm dealing with you" he stated.

"The names Garfield" he explained, "And I'm the one who's been giving you your pay checks. Think of me as an accountant" he smiled lopsided.

Riddick looked up at the man before him, "Paychecks. I ain't even done the job yet"

Garfield gave a low chuckle, "Oh you've done plenty of 'jobs' already. We've been tracking you since you first landed on Yeo Bi five months ago. You did your first job for us there, right up to the hit on that kid on Eros D. Hiller gave you the details on that one, didn't he?"

Riddick was confused, but he didn't let it show on his face. Why all the cloak and dagger shit? Why not outright tell him whom he was working for in the first place? No wonder the money was always ridiculously high; he was working for the same man.

"You mind telling me why he chose me?" Riddick asked.

Garfield smiled, "He said you'd ask that. Snipper I mean. He said it was because you two were extraordinarily alike. I didn't press him further, that's never a wise move"

"I doubt we're anything alike. I do the dirty work, while he sits in his leather chair smoking cigars?" He motioned towards the cigar end still sticking out of the mans mouth.

Garfield pulled the butt out with his two fingers and smirked, "Don't presume to know so much about that man. He's incredibly dangerous. Even those of us in his favour still fear what he could rain down on us at any given time"

"Sounds like employer of the year" Riddick growled, checking the door to see if the thugs were still there. They weren't. He shifted in his seat, "So what does he want now? Another hit?"

Garfield perched his cigar down on an ashtray and shifted on his seat to pull up a black leather briefcase from his feet. After some shuffling, he pulled out a couple of nano sheets, thin plastic-like paper which provided the data required in slick techo style fonts.

"Three hits this time, and straight away" Garfield explained.

"Three?" Riddick cocked an eyebrow, "Snipper sure knows how to make enemies"

He was replied by a sharp stare from the man sitting opposite him, "I was told you were a man with no questions and no interest in anything but who to kill. Was I mistaken?"

Riddick sighed, "I ain't got a problem. Just making conversation" he smiled.

Garfield studied him for a moment longer, and then pushed the nano paper towards him. Riddick held out a hand and grabbed them.

Garfield popped the cigar back into his mouth, "Target number one, twenty-nine year old male, currently working at a fast food joint done in Torobo, that's six miles west" Riddick picked up the first file on the small pile and studied the picture of the man. He had a long clean shaven face. Dark big eyes, a slight scar over his right eye and a good-sized chunk missing from the top of his left ear.

"Second is a thirty-two year old woman, she works down town and owns a bakery. Both have no family and live alone. Couldn't be easier, sitting-fucking-ducks," he explained.

Riddick looked at the woman, curly dark hair, square jaw, no beauty, and almost manish features.

"Finally, a kid, fifteen years old. We're not a hundred per cent sure she's still on the planet. But we got a hunch she might be. But using your highly famous skills, I'm sure you'll be able to find her if she is. And take care of it" he smiled.

"No problem" Riddick answered and turned over the last report.

Then something inside him plummeted to his knees. He fought to urge to let his jaw hit the table as he sat holding the paper in front of his eyes like a blind man trying to read the paper.

Luckily Garfield thought he was suffering a moral dilemma, "I know you haven't hit one this young before. But it's not gonna be a problem, is it?"

Riddick tore his eyes from the girls picture, "Course not, pretty mark though, ain't she?" he forced a smile.

"Yeah, that pictures a good couple of years old though. Probably just starting to curve out, get some bumps" Garfield chuckled.

Riddick felt his hands clench. He wanted to get out of here right now.

"So I'm set. You'll contact me when it's done?" Riddick asked.

Garfield stubbed the remains of his cigar in the ashtray, "You got it. And we'll know if its been done or not, Vinnie" he watched as Riddick go to his feet and tucked the pictures under his arm, "Good luck".

Riddick smirked and left the old building under the scrutinising stares of his bodyguards, and made his way back to the motel.

Imam was in his room, engrossed in his bible, it took a good ten seconds before he noticed Riddick was even there. He gave a start and was on his feet.

"Allah! Please stop sneaking, Riddick. It's most disturbing," he breathed, holding his chest.

"Sorry, Holy Man" he looked around the room, "You seen the kid?"

Imam clutched his bible to his chest, "I have not. Not since this morning. I believe she went to do a bit of investigating"

Riddick's shoulders slumped, "Well if you see her, tell her to get her ass over to me A.S.A.P"

Imam sighed at the vulgar language, "I will tell her that you are enquiring after her, yes" and with that, Riddick was out of the room and into his own, heavily mulling over his own thoughts and wondering what the fuck he had gotten himself into.

**-oOo-**

**EmmaBug - Wow, thanks for that review. Yeah, Jack has got doubts about Riddick's feelings for her, but then she hasn't ever really had a loving enviroment to grow up in.**

**Sin - As was your review.**

**Ohmigod - I will be continuing, I've already got Part II planned out.**

**Amita4ever - Lol, you're reviews always make me chuckle. Cept I don't know when I'll be updating the story. I actually had the day off yesterday so I was merrily typing away the next 2 chapters.**

**A/N: A lot of new reviewers have joined the fray! Welcome!**


	14. It's not too big a job for you, is it?

**Chapter Thirteen**

**It's Not To Big A Job For You, Is It?**

**-oOo-**

Jack had watched Riddick from the safety of some very leafy trees. He was pale and looked almost sick as he strolled with purpose down the dusty pavement. She glanced at the suited bodyguards once more, but they had disappeared into the shop.

As she climbed down the tree, she was surprised Riddick hadn't seen her, it was as if something had completely blown him away, made him forget to check his surroundings, like he had taught her.

Her feet hit the ground, and she carefully began to make her way back the motel as well, but the noise of an old automobile engine caught her attention, and she dived behind a nearby bush.

The two bodyguards were out of the shop; one was sitting in the driver's seat of an old black jaguar style car, whilst the other was holding the door open for someone. Jack shuffled forward and tried to get a look at the third man who was walking towards the car.

She bent her head slightly to the left and could not stop a gasp from escaping her lips. She clamped her hand over her mouth and pulled back behind the bush.

"Did you hear that?" a man voice echoed down to her.

"Probably just a fucking dog," another male said.

After the bangs of the car doors closing vibrated away into the silent air, Jack waited until the car had faded from view before stepping out into the sunlight.

"Garfield" she whispered in horror. That face, that terrible scarred face that had leant over her and taunted her as needles were jabbed into her arms and eyes. His wicked stare as he held the older girls against the walls and fondled them under their hospital gowns. That monster.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Riddick had had a meeting with that man. He'd spoke to him, looked into his face.

Terrified, Jack walked like a drunk back to the motel, overcome with fear and worry. What had he told Riddick to do? What?

She found herself stopping at her own door and glancing over to Riddick's. Her fear of the man had come back, her uncertainty, her mistrust. She rubbed her eyes, trying to get rid of the tears before opening the door. Imam was seated on the end of his bed in deep prayer.

"Riddick wishes a word with you, Jack" he said as if in a trance.

She couldn't reply, she only gulped before slowly closing the door shut behind her. Her palms grew sweaty as she walked towards the looming door of Riddicks' room. Her nerve endings were on fire; her head was swarming with terrible thoughts of what Riddick might know, and what he might do if he knew.

She gingerly reached forward and twisted the door knob, but before she even got to pushing the door open, it was yanked clean from her hand, and a furious Riddick glared right down on her, like a poor defenceless rabbit caught in the stare of a preying fox.

Angrily, he seized her by her shirt and hauled her into the room, slamming it closed behind her. Jack landed heavily on the bed, amongst an array of pictures.

"I think you got a lot of explaining to do, Jack!" Riddick growled dangerously.

Jack sobbed back a cry of anguish and found herself unable to look at him. She lay there, on her knees, her elbows propping her up on the bed with her head in her hands. A pitiful sight that almost burrowed its way into Riddick's heart, but he steadied himself and seized the picture he had dropped on the floor.

"I want you to tell me what the fuck is going on" he snapped, turning Jack towards him with a jerk of her shoulder. She looked at the picture he was waving in her face, and gingerly took it in her own shaking hands.

Through her blurry eyes, she looked down at the picture, and a gasp escaped followed by another deep racking sob.

For starring back at her was her own face. Three years younger, but it was still noticeably her. She followed the outline of her bruised face, her skin still deathly pale, her hair long, black and knotty. Her eyes the same, still dark but bright and alert. It was here, back when she was a prisoner.

"I-I t-tried to p-p-pretend it never h-happened! She wailed. Riddick looked down on her, still with anger alight in his eyes.

"Who the fuck are these people? And why do they want you dead?"

Jack stopped her sobbing and looked up at him with a jerk of her head, her eyes wide and alert, "Dead? They want me dead" she repeated in no more then a whisper, "No" she sad, getting to her feet, "No! They don't even know I'm back on this fucking planet" she raged, allowing anger and hatred to momentarily overcome her grief and fear.

"Who! Tell me Goddamn it!" Riddick ordered, Jack starred at him.

"Dr Redman and his group of fucked-up doctors!" she yelled, "If you can even call them that! They tortured me for three years, Riddick! Three fucking years of tests and surgeries" she wept.

Riddick starred at her as if he were looking at a complete stranger. He no longer knew the girl before her, she was completely different. A scared little girl, a refugee, a fake.

"The hospital" Riddck said quietly, "The one we flew over, that's where they kept you" he asked. Jack nodded her head furiously.

"One night, there was a break out. I don't know, someone on the inside blew up one of the outer walls. Some of us were bunking down, the explosion woke us all up and we just ran for it. Never looked back," she added sadly.

Riddick rubbed his face with his huge hand, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Jack looked at him, an accusing look in her eyes, "What would you have done? You would have slaved me out! Get rich quick, if you thought there was a bounty on my head! Don't think I don't know you Riddick. You try and make out that you care, but really you'd do anything to keep yourself alive, and fuck everyone else! Well fuck you Riddick! FUCK YOU!"

Riddick angrily seized the girl by the throat, immediately turning her angry words to gasping gags.

"Riddick!" she wheezed, banging at his grip with her small fists, "Riddick let go!" she choked.

He watched as her face began to pale, her eyes began to dull, "RIDDICK!" she screamed. Then finally he let her go and she crumpled to the ground in a gasping sobbing lump.

The door flew open and Imam was on the floor next to her in an instant, holding her shoulders as she massaged her neck.

"What in the name of Allah is wrong with you!" He shouted at Riddick, holding the small frail girl close to him, "Did you just try and kill her!"

Riddick shrugged, "It's what I'm being paid to do, so sure!" he growled. He knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth, that he did not mean it, but he was so angry at Jack that he wanted her to fear him more then anyone had done before.

A look of pure horror crossed over both their faces, "What do you mean by this?" Imam stormed.

"I had a meet today, and it turns out what of my hits is Jack" he explained, "Looks like our little girl has been keeping a big fucking secret from us"

Imam pulled away from Jack, now that she was breathing normally, "Is this true?"

Jack nodded, unable to look him in the face, but Imam took her up in an embrace, "Oh poor child" he said.

Riddick was overcome with another wave of fury and kicked the wall behind him, the wall caved in around his foot, but he yanked it out and turned back to the two figures huddled by the bed.

"I killed a lot of people to get to this point, Jack" he gritted his teeth, "They've been assigning me hits since five months ago. Look behind you!"

Slowly, with her hands shaking, Jack turned around to the pictures scattered behind her. She rolled her hands over the faces, pushing aside those she did not recognise, until she reached those she did.

There were faces of those she knew only by their appearances, some she had seen and remembered vaguely. Then she saw those she knew, had conversations with.

"Will…" she whispered, stroking the face of a young male with dreadlocks and dark black eyes, "…Fiona…" an older female with kindly features. Then her wet eyes came across a face she recognised most of all, "Dina" she sobbed, taking in the high cheek bones, curly blonde hair and dancing eyes.

Then it hit her that they were all dead, all because of the man standing behind her, all because he was a killer. Her fists clenched and her teeth gritted, she felt an anger like never before as she turned on Riddick. She punched and kicked and even bit him on every bit of unguarded flesh she could find. She didn't feel Imam trying vainly to pull her off of him, or Riddick pushing her away. But finally Imam held her fast around the waist and pulled her off, still kicking and screaming, until he put her down on the ground.

She breathed heavily, her anger building heat in her face and limbs, she eyed Riddick with something that looked terrifyingly like Riddick's own psychotic rage.

"You killed my friends, but you'll never get me. Never!" she yelled, and was at the door before Riddick could even comprehend what had happened. His eyes falling onto the picture of the younger Jack, a picture that would haunt him forever.


	15. I Feel One Lung Short

**Chapter Fourteen**

**I Feel One Lung Short**

**-oOo-**

Jack couldn't even see where she was running because of the tears that drowned her eyes. She didn't care that the motel owner was starring at her open mouthed as if she were a lunatic, she just needed to get the hell away from him, away from that killer, the one who had killed all her friends.

She ran and ran, seeing only flashes of green of the trees, grey of the concrete and the black of the cloudy sky. Her heart felt like it was going to explode in her chest, her head hurt as if tiny beings were banging their fists on the inside of her skull.

She was so confused, so angry and distraught at the same time. One part of her mind was telling her to run as fast and as far away as she could, but another was telling her to go back.

Finally her limbs began to ache so badly that they felt they were on fire, her lungs were aching as if she had inhaled millions of tiny blades and before she could think of resting, she buckled over onto a grassy verge and collapsed into a heap.

"Oh God!" she wailed into her hands that clamped over her face. She began rocking herself as she sobbed and racked in her grief. Never had she felt so betrayed and alone as she did right now. She couldn't even remember having cried this much before, she really had no idea what she had to do, and she was lost on a planet she had never wanted to return to.

She didn't know how long she lay there crying to herself, but soon she found there were no more tears to shed, and her body had stopped convulsing in her grief. She wiped at her moist face to clear away the tears and forced herself into a sitting position, resting her arms on her knees and taking in her environment.

She had ended up in a grassy allotment type garden behind an old abandoned shanty house. The wooden planks of it were rotten and held on by rusty crooked nails. The gardens itself was wild and overrun with weeds. Overall, the impression was that the place was completely abandoned; no one had lived here for at least several months.

Gingerly she got to her feet; she had no clue what to do now. She still had that voice in her head telling her to go back to the motel, but how could she? After finding out what Riddick had done, and what he was being paid to do to her. How could she trust that he wasn't waiting for her right now, behind his bedroom door with a shiv in one hand. Maybe he had killed Imam in the fury she had left him. They both had an uneasy relationship; both regarded each other in a state of discontent. Maybe Imam had tried to hold him back and Riddick had taken his frustration out on the Holy Man.

Jack rubbed her sore and tired eyes, how could she predict what Riddick was doing now? He was anything but predictable. Who could ever guess what actions he would take? Sometimes he would come across as a ruthless, terrible killer, but others he could show a deep, sensitive side. But that caring sidewas no where to be found when he had turned on her, she could see nothing but a dangerous animal when he hauled her into his room.

She kicked at a discarded bucket, her thoughts so muddled she was fustrated with herself. The realisation of being alone once again hit home. She had been in the company for Riddick and Imam for so long, she forgot about her life before and how she had been dependant on herself.

For the time between her escape from the hospital and T2, she had lived by herself for herself, learning to steal food to stay alive and sleeping wherever she could for shelter. Then she suddenly realised that she didn't need Riddick to take care of her. She was a free spirit, that was why she escaped in the first place, she didn't want to be stuck under the finger of adults anymore, she didn't want to be told what to do and where to go. She had been her own person, and now as she remembered, that part of her had nearly died out. But now here she was, reliant on herself once more.

"Well not again!" she growled, "I won't rely on anyone but myself again"

And the longer she stood there, the more convinced she made herself, until finally she had felt as though that self-reliant Jack had never left. Now she needed a plan, and on top of her things to do, was to get the fuck off this planet. She needed to find a transport off this rock, but she couldn't go back to the Bluebird. The first reason being that Riddick might try looking there for her and secondly, she didn't actually know how to fly a shuttle. She would have to hitch a ride, or at least stow-away. She had to find the nearest Space Port and find her way from there, but first she need some supplies, and as most of the town was deserted, she knew she could score something quite easily.

She allowed herself one more thought of Riddick before starting anew, but she found fresh tears sprouting where the old ones had dried. She still felt for that man, despite whathe had done,but she had to put her feelings aside if she was going to survive. They would both be better off if they went their separate ways. Riddick could move along without a tag-along, Imam didn't feel any obligation to stay with a man whose occupation caused him to pray more then he normally would, and Jack…

Well she would just be better off out of people's lives. She only messed them up anyways. So she took a deep breath and walked out of the garden in search of her new life away from the man who unknown to her, was cradling his head as he sat perched on the end of his bed.

**-oOo-**

Riddick couldn't move, his head was swimming with too many thoughts, and battling a two sided war. Imam was not helping at all, he had been shouting at Riddick since Jack had ran from the motel room.

"You had a responsibility to take care of her!" he ranted some more, "And you try and kill her! For the love of Allah, Riddick!"

But the man he was yelling at was unresponsive and still sat as still as a statue at the end of the bed.

"How can you sit there? While she is out there, afraid, alone and tormented by the memories of her friends! The ones you killed!"

The fact that Riddick remained rooted to the bed caused a frustration to well in Imam that he had not felt for many years, "I can't believe you Riddick! I will try and find that girl before more dangerous men then you do!" and with a swish of his robes, he was out of the door. Riddick still not moved from his spot.

**-oOo-**

**Amita4ever - Oh Imam will have his purpose soon enough. He's kind of like the angel on Riddick's shoulder, reminding him of all the good he could be doing.**

**Ohmigod - Thanks for that, really sweet. Now you can tell they both taken the hit completely differently. Jack's just wants to move on and adapt like she always has, but how will Riddick take it once the shock is over? Sorry, I'm the one asking the questions and I'm supposed to be answering them as well:-S**

**EmmaBug - Thanks mate, lots of positive feedback from you! And there definitly WILL be a Jack/Riddick in Part II I can tell you that much!**

**BatPhace - I'm glad I can still surprise you! Let's see if it can continue!**

**Blueberri304 - Cheers for the comment, this chapter really covers Jacks feelings, but Riddick's will be following shortly!**

**A/N: Wow! I got such positive feed back for the last couple of chapters, excellent, glad to know you're all still interested in the story. Keep reading and let me know what you think!**


	16. To take what you Got

**Chapter Fifteen**

**To Take What You Got**

**-oOo-**

When Riddick finally lifted his head he found himself alone in his room. He hardly even noticed Imam shouting at him at the top of his voice, all he could hear was a deafening silence in his head followed by a ripping war of thoughts and desires of how he should play out his next steps.

_Why Jack, why fucking Jack?_ He roared in his head.

He rubbed his head again and looked over his shoulder at the picture of the younger Jack. He pulled the picture towards him and rested it on his lap as he studied the girls' features.

Her skin was a little paler, but hardly noticeable unless you looked really closely. Her hair was knotty, dark and full. He could tell that it hadn't been washed in a couple of days, but he could imagine if it was cleaned it would be soft and silky to the touch. Her eyes were the most different though, they were completely dead. He couldn't believe that someone so alive could ever have eyes like those. They looked as though they belonged to someone completely different.

How could he kill her? Someone so pure and young, how could he snuff her light out after all they'd been through together? He'd never allowed himself to get close to anyone. He thought he had been risking it with Fry, allowing himself to get too close and then feeling something that felt like a knife in the side when he saw her dying as she was dragged away into the darkness.

He looked back at the eyes of Jack's, and he could almost see Fry there, just as she realised she was going to die.

Carefully he dropped the picture on the bed and sighed. He had a serious problem. It wasn't just about him finishing the job; it was about his reputation as an assassin. If it got out he was not able to kill one girl, he wouldn't survive it. And he knew, if it got out what he was getting paid for the job, other assassins would be over it like flies to a pile of shit. Jack wouldn't last long, not even after all she had survived. He couldn't imagine putting her in that position.

Riddick rubbed his forehead, finding that his frustration was itching him like a bad rash. He realised though, that no one knew Jack was on this planet, least of all the people who sent him to kill her. If he could perhaps keep her hidden, then maybe he could keep her safe.

But then he remembered she had told him to 'fuck off', to leave her alone. She had told him – no, warned him – to stay away from her. She was afraid of him, but that was because of him, he had wanted to scare the crap out of her. He wanted to hurt her, like she had hurt him by keeping this secret from him.

Riddick snapped his head up. Where had that come from? Why was he so affected by her keeping such a big secret from him? She didn't have any obligations to him. But why didn't she feel she could tell him?

But she had chosen to leave, that was her choice. She had no place with him anyway, she would only slow him down sooner or later, and he didn't want to live with the responsibility. He was a fucking assassin. Assassins didn't look after children.

Riddick stood over the other two pictures Garfield had given him. He would take care of business as usual, look out for number one. Once he got paid for the job he would move on to wherever it took him and he wouldn't pick up any more strays. So he gathered up his belongings and left the motel.

He didn't leave a note.

**-oOo-**

Imam had searched the entire town looking for Jack. He had checked the gardens, outhouses, sheds and even an abandoned petrol station, but the girl was nowhere to be found.

Imam found himself despairing. He knew Jack was in danger, he knew she was frightened and alone. He had no idea what ghosts haunted her past, but whatever they were, they came from this planet. And here she was, unable to escape her past.

Soon night began to roll in, and he had no choice but to get back to the motel and rest until the morning. He wouldn't find anything in the dark, and he hoped his morning prayers would bring some hope and answers.

Once he arrived back at the motel, he wasn't surprised to find Riddick's things gone. He quickly returned to the reception and asked the motel owner if he had seen Riddick, who only nodded and pointed to the door, signifying that he had left. Imam got no more out of the man and handed over Riddick's keys that had been left in the door lock and went back to his own room.

**-oOo-**

Jack had finally come to an old abandoned shop. It seemed as though everything in this town was run down or left to the elements. Most of the store was covered in cobwebs and old peeling paint. The sign on the front had corroded away, but a sign in the window advertising a pound of apples for half price alerted Jack to the fact her next meal was waiting behind those dirty plastic windows.

Nervously she checked through the clearest parts of the window she could find, there was no movement, only the fading sunlight bore into the shop. There were rows of shelves, stacked with tins, packets and boxes of food and other goods. Most of the displays had been knocked over and were dented, but when you were starving you couldn't turn your nose up at good food like this.

She momentarily let her stomach lead her head as she pushed open the door and ignored the friendly chime of the bell above her announcing her arrival. She checked left and right, the aisles were all empty, so she dove for the packets of crisps that had spilled off their place on the top shelves. The packets were months out of date, but it didn't stop her groaning with satisfaction as the stale snacks ran roughly down her throat.

After raiding at least three packets of crisps, she turned on the bottles of carbonated drinks. True, it was all flat and almost tasteless, but it stopped her throat from becoming unbearably parched.

She was just about to grab a melting chocolate bar, when a movement to her left caught her eyes. She crouched down on all fours in instinct, like a cat, but the intruder had already got her in their sights.

"Hey! This here's my place. Fuck off!" An angry voice yelled.

It belonged to a young boy, probably ten, but he had an attitude and the guts of someone double his age. His frame was thin, but his skin was scared and weather worn, obviously the boy had been living it rough for quite a while. His hair was wild and shaggy, reaching just below the neck and as dark as soot. His eyes were hard to see, as they were hidden under the jungle of his hair, but she could tell he was glaring at her, eyeing her like prey.

Jack got to her feet and tried to measure herself up to the boy. As far as he knew, she was a boy as well, and much older then he. If anyone should be intimated, it should be the boy in front of her.

"No!" she growled back, "I don't see your name written anywhere, shit head" she added for good measure.

To her amusement, the boy looked a little shocked, but he wiped the expression from his face and scowled, "Don't make me tell you again. This is my place. I ain't wanting to hurt you, but I ain't got no problems doing it"

"Bring it on short stuff" Jack smirked, interested in what the boys next move would be. And to answer her threat, he lunged forward at her with a squeal of rage. He charged at her with a left hook, which she dodged without much effort. He swung again with his right, but she stepped to the side and jabbed his hard in the chest with her palm open. The boy tumbled back, grabbing his chest with surprise. But it didn't last long, he lunched forward once more, but Jack grabbed his skull with her hand, her palm easily encasing the boys head with her one hand. She held him allof as she continued to try and swing his fists at her, but all he connected with was air. Jack chuckled to herself, which made the boy more angry, and his cheeks flushed a dangerous red.

Finally Jack grew bored and pushed him back down the floor, "Hey kid, when you're done beating on me, you mind if I have one of those tasty looking cakes over there. I haven't eaten since breakfast"

The boy looked up at her, his rage slowly cooling, obviously impressed with Jack's lack of fear, "Who the hell are you?" he asked, scrambling to his feet and dusting his legs down.

Jack walked past him to the cake aisle, the boy following in her wake, "Name's Jack. Just got here a few days ago" she explained, unwrapping a particularly chocolaty looking cake and shoving it unceremoniously into her open mouth.

"Not many people stay round here. 'Specially kids" the boy explained.

Jack's ears pricked at this, but decided she needed to gain the boys trust before she tapped him for information. So she handed him a piece of chocolate cake. He eyed it suspiciously at first, and then took a big bite.

"So what's your name?" she blurted through her cake-filled mouth.

The kid strained to swallow the piece of cake, but he managed it before he spoke, "Ain't got a name, been living on my own since I can remember"

Jack frowned, "Ain't got a name? Well I cam solve that" she said, and took a step back to examine the boy. He was kinda small, kinda frail looking when you got closer to him. It seemed he looked more intimidating the further away you got from him.

"How about Tim?" she suggested. The boy looked at her, obviously uncomfortable with the way she studied him, and then he frowned.

"Tim?" he questioned.

"Yeah, as in Tiny Tim" she replied, taking a couple of gummy sweets from their packets.

The boy's mouth gaped open and closed like a goldfish as he thought over the proposal. "Tim? I like it" he finally spoke, but he didn't smile. It seemed he almost didn't know how to. That didn't surprise Jack thought, she was sure she didn't smile for the whole time she was trapped at the hospital, then for the years that followed her escape. Actually, thinking about it, the only time she actually smiled was with Riddick. He always knew how to make her laugh, even if it wasn't his intention.

_Damn!_ She snapped her head up, she was thinking about him again.

"So how long you been here, Tim?" she asked, eager to get her mind of the muscular convict.

"About three months, been making my way town to town" he explained, kicking at a packet of noodles that lay on the ground, "I was hitching a lift from the Wrex galaxy when I was caught stowing away. They dropped me off when they got supplies"

Jack looked sadly at the boy, "And you've been here by yourself ever since?" she asked. It was sad to think of him moving from town to town trying to survive on what he could find and being treated as a stray dog with rabies as he went along.

Tim could hear the note of pity in her voice, so he crossed his arms over his chest and scowled, "I ain't no pussy. I've survived this far, ain't no one gonna treat me like a stupid little kid"

Jack bit on her tongue. She knew what he meant; she was tired of people looking down her as if she were some stupid mongrel with nothing to live for.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. I think you've done good. I used to be on my own, but I got to travelling with someone I thought was my friend. Turns out he weren't so I went my separate way"

Tim kicked at the floor, "Ain't that the truth. Don't trust other people. They always let you down"

Jack gave a sad smile, "So Tim. You mind if I crash with you. I ain't got nowhere else to go for now"

Tim stood contemplating whether he wanted someone tagging along with him, but he finally nodded, "Sure, just don't be giving me trouble. It'll be kinda handing having another guy around"

Jack bit back a smile, suddenly realising that Tim thought she too was a male. She didn't know why, but she thought she would keep that secret to herself. Something told her that Tim wouldn't trust her as much as a girl then as a boy.

"So where do you sleep?" she asked.

Tim smiled, "Round back, in the stock room, come on I'll show you" he said, grabbing her wrist and hauling her along the aisles.

Jack smiled, looks like she wasn't going to be as alone as she thought. Strange how two people, who needed company, find one another in the most unlikely of places. Maybe it was something to do with that 'fate' thing that Imam had told her about once or twice.

**-oOo-**

**Amie - Hey, thanks for the review! That was really sweet.**

**BatPhace - Hmm, do I detect disappointment on Jack's decision to go solo?**

**Foracious23 - Wow, maybe you should be writing this story! Or maybe you're reading my mind to find out what's coming next! lol.**

**EmmaBug - Lol, thanks again. Your reviews are always so positive!**

**FitMama - Well here it is, for you.**

**EmmaBug - Jeez! I'm starting to feel guilty for every night I don't update!**

**Hlp - Sorry mate, reason is below.**

**A/N: Sorry to all those who were waiting for an update. I don't know if it's my laptop or the website, but I couldn't get the ruler line to show up, so I had to improvise. Hope it doesn't make the page look too odd! Enjoy!**


	17. Save Yourself

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Save Yourself**

**-oOo-**

The more Jack spent with Tim, the more she got to realise how alike the two were. He was orphaned at three and was shifted through different orphanages, until finally he ran away to live life by himself. He stayed on each planet for no more then seven months until he could find some transport off the planet. He had no goal, just to survive and make it each day at a time. Obviously he had gotten into scraps as he went along. He had a hideous scar across his back, which he was more then willing to show, this was a result of a former foster parent who found him delving into the money jar. He saw it as a battle wound, Jack rolled her eyes at how green this kid was, regardless of how long he had been running on his own.

Soon the conversation turned to her. Jack told the boy as much as she wanted him to know. She told him that she had run away from an orphanage, that she struggled from planet to planet, stealing food to survive until she crashed on a planet with a few other survivors. She had managed to escape with one or two others, but had gone her separate way once they hit the nearest planet. Tim had listened enthralled to the story of T2 and the terrible monsters that had hunted her. His eyes were as big as saucers as she described them and she found the attention quite refreshing. It was a switch around from her gazing starry-eyed at Riddick, to someone looking at her in awe.

"So how come you weren't given a name, kid?" Jack asked. They were both sitting in the small dark stock room, with a camping lantern swinging above their heads. Food wrappings lay around them in a sea of litter, and they were both snuggled in blankets and duvets Tim had stolen from a nearby house.

"No one bothered to give me one. Everyone just called me 'boy' most of the time," he explained, shoving another chocolate bar into his mouth.

"Tough, huh?"

The boy shrugged and pulled a face, "Not really, ain't had no reason for a name. Been on my own all this time it just seemed pointless," he said, with no hint of sadness or pity in his tone. He was just stating a fact.

"So, you been in this town long?" Jack finally asked, she was curious to see if the boy had had any dealings with Garfield and the hospital.

"Maybe about two weeks, hard to keep track really. This whole town is dead mostly, thought I'd make the most of the free bed and board" he smiled, shoving the chocolate bar wrapper to the side, "But I mostly stay out of the town centre"

Jack's eyes shot up, "Why?"

"Strange things happen. Don't you think it's weird how most of the people in this town have just vanished? It's not like they just moved on. All this stuff…" he said, pointing to the food around him, "It was all left here"

"What do you think happened to them all?" she asked curiously.

"Dunno, maybe a virus got 'em. But I've been seeing a black car drive round these parts a few times. Not sure who's in it, but it must be some respectable type. You know, lots of cash, high in power. Only thing is why're they driving round this shit-hole? What's so damn important for him to get his suit all messed up in the mud and rain?" Tim leaned back into the duvet, "Something's going on in this town, and I ain't wanting to get involved. That's why I'm moving off tomorrow"

"Why stay so long in the first place if you knew something was up?" Jack pressed.

"Well they aint bothered me before. But last night, I was walking around town, minding my own business, and this black car comes on by. Two big guys jump out and chase me down the street. Well, luckily I got away, but only barely" he answered. Something in his eye showed something to Jack. Tim was afraid. Deathly afraid.

"Any idea what they wanted?"

"Don't know and I don't care to. That's why I'm off tomorrow. I've over stay my welcome" Tim smiled.

Jack thought for a moment, "Do you know how to fly a Bluebird?"

Tim guffed, "A Bluebird? They about as old as me, ain't they? Not sure, not really a pilot of such. I've flown a Destra 1-80 before, but I ended up crashing it. Why'd you ask?" he said looking a little suspicious.

Jack shook her head; "I thought I saw one back at the scrap yard near that tall building"

The boy looked up, "You don't want to be going near that place. I'm sure that's where the guys came from"

"That shuttle could be our only escape from this planet. You willing to risk it?" Jack asked with a sly smile.

Tim leaned forward, "And since when was this a duo thing. I've lived alone my whole life. What makes you think I need you?" he said.

Jack shrugged, "Ain't saying you do. Just thought we could both enjoy the company. Besides, four eyes are better then two. We can watch each other's backs. Especially if what you say about this place is true" she smiled slyly.

Tim eyed her suspiciously before smirking, "Guess you're right. I wouldn't mind the company, at least until we're off this rock"

Jack smiled. She found it easy to make people trust her. It was another one of her talents. Of course it worked better when she was a girl, all she had to do was batter her eyelids and she could get whatever she wanted. Of course it didn't work in the hospital, if you tried to suck up in anyway you'd get a smack on the side of the face with a baton or fist.

"Well" Tim's voice cut through her thoughts, "We should probably turn in. It ain't a wise idea to go trawling through the town now. Those guys will probably be out looking for people to snatch off the streets"

And with that, Tim crawled and snuggled into the duvet cover and closed his eyes.

Jack studied him for a moment. The kid seemed genuine. And he was fearless and brave. But he was still a run-away and most probably a thief. Which meant he couldn't be wholly trusted. Jack would have to keep her wits about her. She knew he wasn't stupid enough to go anywhere near those men, Tim was obviously as keen to stay away from them as she was, especially as he had no idea who they were and what they wanted.

Jack finally allowed herself to relax into the warm inviting softness of the duvet and let herself close her eyes and try to forget where she was, who she was and what she had left behind.

**-oOo-**

If Riddick had been hoping that Torobo would be more civilized then the town he'd just left, he was sorely disappointed.

The buildings were made of the same sandy mud and crumbling bricks. Most parts of the town were drowning in rainwater; the roads were more like rivers making it more then difficult for the occasional worker pushing their carts of wares.

To fit in, Riddick had purchased a greying, frayed robe and threw it over himself, his pack safely stored underneath it, making it appear he had a hump. He also was forced to remove his sunglasses. It was pointless to wear them in the darkened heavy light, and it brought too much unwanted attention. All in all, Riddick gave off the impression that he was a homeless vagabond making his way through the town. And as there were many of those pacing pointlessly through the drenched streets, he blended in perfectly.

It had taken a good hour to finally find the fast food place that Riddick's first hit was. It was tucked away behind some sort of pond that had taken on the characteristics of a wild swamp. The fast-food joint was called _Pigmy's Place_ and displayed ragged and yellowing adverts of fat drenched hamburgers and sugary drinks.

Through the plastic windows, Riddick could make out a small queue waiting patiently at the counter. A few plastic tables and chairs had been set out under poor electrical lights hanging on the ceiling.

Riddick's eyes wavered over the serving staff. One of them was an elderly gentleman, probably having worked at _Pigmy's_ his whole life by the expert and zombie like manner he slapped together a disgusting looking burger.

A rather large woman was at the till, absent-mindedly taking change from a customer and digging around in the till.

Riddick figured his mark must have been in the back. This was going to be easier then he first thought.

Aware that he had been standing staring at the building for rather too long, he pushed his pack further up his back and readjusted his robe before moving off along the road, trying to find a way he could sneak behind the row of shops and enter _Pigmy's_ through the back door.

**-oOo-**

Renfro Wilkins swore that if he had to clean out another toilet he would drown himself in one of the cubicles.

He'd been working at _Pigmy's_ for over a month, and he still didn't have enough credits to get even a coach ticket on the nearest shuttle off Zathos.

Already he was growing even more paranoid and fearful that he was being watched as he walked back to his motel room from work, but now he was getting that feeling as he sat hunched over a toilet seat.

He hadn't meant to return to Zathos. He had vowed never to return to the planet, but he didn't have a choice. A malfunction on his previous ride to the next solar system had caused an emergency landing, and as the company he flew with wasn't the most accommodating, he had found himself without a refund and with no place to stay.

He had hoped to get a good paying job and be out of orbit before a fortnight, but the bills mounted up for rent and food. Even stealing the occasional meal at _Pigmy's_ wasn't helping much to raise the cash he needed, but he didn't have any other choice, unless of course he stole the money needed. But that would bring too much unwanted attention to such a quiet and small town, not to mention there was hardly anyone in this town with more then enough credits to rub together. Why else would they live in a place like Torobo?

Renfro check his watch again and found that he was due a break. With relief he dropped the toilet scrubber into the bucket of water and washed his hands clean in the nearby sink.

He had already smuggled a hamburger into his jacket pocket earlier that morning, so he checked that the staff room was clear before unwrapping the greasy paper and taking a big bite out of the burger.

The staff room was little more then a large stock room. A few chairs and tables had been haphazardly placed into it, a small electric heater was pushed up against one wall, making the sickening yellow wallpaper above it, turn a disgusting brownish tint.

There were two doors, one leading back into the shop, and the other leading out into the swamp. Some employees braved the foul stench of the undergrowth to take a puff or two on a cigarette, but other then that, the door was rarely used.

With a sigh, he leaned back into the chair and took a long bite out of his burger, dreading returning to the task of cleaning more toilet bowls.

**-oOo-**

Riddick had managed find a way behind the town by hopping over a dilapidated garden fence. The grass on the other side had grown wild and long, so he was able to keep his head down and stay hidden until he was swallowed up by the swamp foliage and foul smell that almost made his eyes water.

As he hurried alongside the rears of all the buildings, he couldn't help thinking of Jack again. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't erase the fear in her eyes as he tightened his grip on her slender neck.

He was disgusted with himself when he remembered how close he had come to killing her. And he had said some rather nasty things to her, things that he didn't mean. But of course he wouldn't find her to tell her that. That wasn't Riddick, it wasn't even Vinnie. He never apologised for anything.

He wondered what she was doing now, where she was, whether or not she had already left the planet. If he were her, he would have tried to get off Zathos as soon as possible, but he had no possible idea of what she had been through there. She mentioned torture and surgeries; she had mentioned doctors and a hospital. But what was Garfield in all of this, why was he so interested in killing off all the escapees? And why now?

Riddick shook his head. This is why he didn't ask questions; too many different scenarios flew through his head and distracted him from his goal.

Then he thought of his mark, this man he had to kill. Was he a friend of Jack's? Had he been through the same hell as her? Was he cowering in his shoes as he lived but a few miles from the people who held him captive?

_Dammit!_ He thought, _why should I care? If I don't kill them, they'll send someone else after them, and then me for not doing to job._

It wasn't a fair situation. But then what the fuck was? Life had never handed Riddick any favours, so why should he be sympathetic to people he had never met before, all on account of some girl he saved that did?

He shouldn't feel guilty for the lives he took on behalf of this Snipper guy, but why did he feel like dying inside when he saw the look on her face as she scanned the faces of her former friends? The ones whose lives he snuffed out like a multitude of candles.

Riddick was so induced in his thoughts that he almost missed the back of _Pigmy's Place_. A single door stood between him and his kill. All he had to do was kick it down, find his mark and put a bullet in his head. So why did he feel this sudden wave of guilt wash over him? Why did he feel like he would be killing Jack if he took this guy out?

Questions still buzzed in his head, even when he was standing directly outside the door and hand dropped his satchel on the ground and pulled the handgun from the waistband of his trousers.

But it seemed as soon as he kicked the door down and saw the startled face of a man with a half eaten burger held to his open mouth, he knew exactly what it was he was going to do.

**-oOo-**

Renfro was frozen in his seat. His heart was pounding so loud he feared it would leap out of his throat.

A large man stood before him, draped in an old tattered robe, dark shades covering his eyes and a pistol pointed directly at his forehead.

He dropped the burger from his hand and opened his mouth, but no words would come out. He knew who had sent this man; he knew what he had been sent to do. And nothing he had to say would change his mind. That's why it surprised him when the man before him spoke first.

"I was sent to kill you" he began in a deep almost deathly voice, "But I'm offering you one opportunity to escape this planet"

Renfro could only think of one this to say to this, "Why?"

"Because I asked questions," he replied much of Renfro's confusion.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"You need to get off this planet, I know who's after you, and I know they won't stop till your dead"

If Renfro hadn't been so terrified he would have laughed and asked this stranger if he thought he was stupid enough to purposely stay on a planet he would rather never see again, but he thought against it.

"I need money, I haven't got enough from this job to afford a ticket," he explained, nervously playing with his ear. The one with the chunk torn out of it. He normally did this when he was nervous or afraid, and both applied right now.

The man before him buried his hand under his robe and brought forth a small bag, which jangled. He threw the purse to Renfro.

"That should be enough to get you out of atmo" he replied and lowered his gun.

Renfro really couldn't resist asking, "Why are you helping me? Weren't you paid to kill me?"

In reply, Riddick raised to gun, "Unless you'd rather me kill you now and take my money back?" he smirked.

Renfro raised his hands in surrender, "N-no, of course not" he replied.

"Then be grateful. Keep your head down and don't give yourself away. Or I promise you I will be back to finish the job"

And with that, the man turned his back on him and strolled out of the building, hunching to pick up a satchel and disappeared into the cloudy fog of the swamp.

**-oOo-**

**Amita4ever - Thanks for the offer mate, I decided to go through the whole story again and just update it all a bit. And thanks for the compliment, Riddick is definitly not over in this story.**

**A/N: Hey guys, keep reviewing. It gives me the fuel and motivation to continue this little tale!**


	18. Stay Down

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Stay Down**

**-oOo-**

Imam was growing weary and desperate. He had spent the whole day looking for any sign of the young girl. But Jack seemed to have vanished into thin air.

And for the second time in his life, he was questioning his own faith. He had promised himself that he would no abandon Jack, but his will was failing him miserably.

He had now taken to sleeping inside the Bluebird that still sat motionless in the scrap yard, hoping against hope that Jack would return to escape the planet. Or at least Riddick might come back, to which he could plead the murderer to come to his senses and help him search for Jack.

Imam closed his eyes as he lay back on the uncomfortable floor of the shuttle. Even the layers of blankets he had purchased at the next town on, were still allowing the sharp corners of the metal to dig into places he didn't even know he had.

As he lay resting, he made his plan for the next day. He would have to check the next town on more thoroughly, he had made it there too late in the evening to continue his search and had to give up when it got too dark to continue.

Silently he snuggled into a protective ball and flinched as bad images of Jack crossed his mind. What if she were lying dead somewhere? Or captured by the people she was obviously terrified of? What if she was at this moment screaming his name? Begging him to rescue her. And here he was, helpless and ignorant of where she was. He felt as though he had failed her, just as he had his boys back on T2.

**-oOo-**

Jack awoke with a start. She opeed her eyes to see Tim hudled in the corner with a tin of what looked like baked beans in his hand.

He saw her sit up and threw her a cereal bar, "You were having a nightmare" he said matter-of-factly.

"Huh?" Jack mumbled, picking the bar up and carefully unwrapping it.

"You were tossing and turning, I was almost scared you were gonna lash out at me. And you were talking…" he said.

Jack felt the blood drain from her face. She didn't want the boy to know anything about the hospital, or Riddick. If he found out, he would be less likely to trust her and take the Bluebird for himself, leaving Jack with no escape from Zathos.

"Oh" was all she said, "Sometimes I get nightmares about that planet I was on, you know, the one with the monsters I was telling you about"

Tim starred at her hard, then finally nodded slowly, "Yeah, I can see why you'd have nightmares about that" and then he turned his attention back to the tin in his hand.

They both ate in silence, contemplating the day ahead. Jack was praying that Riddick had not taken the Bluebird to get off the planet, if he had, she would be royally screwed. But then she remembered he was being paid to kill her fellow escapees, and he wouldn't leave a job paying as well as this one was.

With a scowl she got to her feet and brushed herself down. Tim did the same and kicked the quilts and covers to the side.

"I've already packed some food for the journey," He said, pointing to two knapsacks near the door.

"Good idea, who knows how long it'll take us to reach the next planet" Jack muttered, and she swung one of the bags over her shoulder before throwing the second to Tim.

"That's if we can even get the shuttle into the air" Tim grumbled, "I told you I ain't no pilot. It'll be a miracle if we can even turn the ruttin' thing on"

Jack smirked and ushered the boy into the main store, "We have to keep low, stay to the back alleys and if you've got to go into the main street, keep your head down and move quickly" she instructed.

Tim gave her a dirty look, "I ain't no fucking dumbass, Jack. I've done this before"

Jack raised her hands in mock surrender, but couldn't resist a smile. Damn this kid was almost like a mirror image of herself.

"No problem. Just reminding you is all" she replied, and she pushed her face up to the window to look out into the street.

Again the sky was dark and cloudy, excellent cover for their trip. It looked like it had been raining during the night. Large puddles filled the potholes in the road, and the air smelt damp as Tim opened the door.

"It's clear," he whispered as he stuck his head out of the door and checked both ways.

Jack cautiously followed him out onto the main road, and followed him between the buildings that acted like a maze, ducking and diving off the main road to make sure no one could see or follow them.

Not surprisingly, they didn't see anyone. The only noise came from the birds chirping up ahead, or the slight patter of the light rain as it hit the surface of the road.

"Who's Riddick?" Tim suddenly spouted.

Jack, who had been walking some way ahead, snapped her head around to the boy who looked back at her with innocent curiosity.

She slowly turned her attention back to the road ahead, "Just someone I used to know" she replied, carrying on at a faster speed, as if trying to escape the conversation.

"In your nightmare, you were calling for him to save you" Tim added, frowning slightly as he ran to catch up with her fast strides.

"So?" Jack snapped, wanting very much for the boy to shut up and leave the matter alone. The last thing she needed right now was to be distracted with talk about that man.

"Was he one of the other survivors? On that planet you were on" Tim pressed.

Jack rolled her eyes, she wasn't going to get out of this one without adding further distrust, "Yeah, I guess you could say he was. But he died, before we escaped" she added, putting in a tone to indicate that she wasn't going to say anymore on the matter.

But Tim obviously missed it, "Only thing is, I've heard that name before. Riddick. I don't know where though. He wasn't famous for something was he? I don't think I know him personally" and he continued on this thread, mumbling to himself about where he could have heard or seen a man named Riddick, until Jack had had quite enough and spun round so fast she startled Tim into taking a few steps back.

"Just shut the fuck up! We're supposed to be going incognito and all I can hear is you babbling about jack shit back here! I wouldn't be surprised if those men from the hospital came and grabbed us right now 'coz your can't shut your fucking mouth!"

Tim looked taken aback, but then his eyes suddenly narrowed, "And when the fuck did I mention those men were from any hospital!" he growled.

Damn! Jack thought, this kid was quicker then she thought. How could she had let that slip?

She casually sighed, trying to make it seem as natural as possible, "Hey, I'm just putting two and two together" she muttered and began to walk off, but Tim was jogging alongside her, accusation in his eyes.

"And so am I, and I think you know more about this then you say you do"

Jack glared at him, "You don't know what you're talking about, now come on, the yard is just round this corner" she said, motioning to a row of trees that concealed the scrap heap.

"Na-huh!" Tim grunted, crossing his arms over his chest, "I want some answers from you, Mr" he snapped, "I ain't some little kid you can just push around. I ain't taking that shit from no one anymore"

Jack growled, "Hey, stay here, whatever! It's no sweat off my sack!"

She turned away from the little boy and strolled angrily past the trees and rounded the corner in view of the yard. She stopped and squinted, trying to see ahead of her in the dim light. The fog that had shrouded the Bluebird before had since lifted, and she could see the tiny little shuttle not more then a hundred yards away.

Tim stalked after her, Jack was about to turn round and yell at him some more, when the look of horror on his face stopped her for talking all together. The boy grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into a cluster of bushes not ten feet away from where Jack had previously been standing.

Jack knew better then to shout at the boy and pull out of his grip. She knew something had startled him, and wasn't surprised in the least to see a shiny black car roll slowly down the road towards them.

Her blood ran cold as she recalled the car from when she had been sitting in the tree.

"You think they saw us?" Tim whispered, the anger suddenly a memory in the heat of fear. Jack squinted, but the windows were heavily tinted, and she couldn't see anything inside the vehicle.

"I don't know. Best to stay here till they go" she whispered back, crouching further into the foliage.

To the children's horror, the car drew to a slow stop. The engine continued to growl, but the passenger side door opened, and a burly looking man stepped out, without something that looked suspiciously like a baton in his hand.

Tim shrank back beside Jack; his tiny frame was trembling with fear. Jack wanted to give him some comfort, but she was unable to move, in fear it might bring the armed man closer to their hiding space.

They watched as the man lifted something to his mouth, "Ain't shit here. You sure you heard right?" his voice growled into the receiver.

A crackle, and then a voice responded, "Course I did you son-of-a-bitch! A couple of young males were walking into town, you ain't looking properly"

A frown appeared on the mans brow as his eyes creased and his mouth turned up in a snarl, "Hey, fuck you Brent. Maybe you should do a bit of field work instead of growing fat in that office of yours!"

And with that he turned the radio off, shoved it in the back of his trousers and grumbled as he strolled around the entrance of the yard. At one point he was in fact feet away from the two children's hiding spot.

After another two minutes of painstaking waiting for the man to finally give up and move off, Jack saw Tim take a sharp intake of breath to her side.

She looked at him and saw his eyes wide open in horror as a large centipede crawled its way up his left arm and towards his neck. Gingerly he tried to blow it off, but it only made the insect move quicker.

Jack willed to boy not to move, or they'd be caught in a second, but the bug was instantly on his face, and Tim desperately slapped at it to shake it off, but he lost balance due to the heavy back pack on his shoulder and tipped backwards, cracking a large stick on his way down.

Jack clenched her teeth and looked out of the bush towards the man who had suddenly stopped in his tracks back to the car and looked around.

Jack felt all her muscles tense, her fear had reached it's height and she was almost certain the burly man would come and find them crouched in this bush, but he only grazed his eyes over the foliage, shrugged and man his way back to the car.

Jack allowed herself a sigh of relief, but beside her, Tim gave a squeal of fright and was lifted into the air by another man, more brutish then the other one.

"Hey Goat! You missed a spot!" the man joked as he hauled Tim into the air by his bag.

Jack was on her feet in a second and charged at the man, she ploughed a punch into his gut, causing him to buckle slightly, but he didn't not relinquish his grip on Tim. But before she could get another shot at the man, she heard heavy footsteps pounding towards her and a blunt object struck her on the back of the head, causing everything to blacken and fade into darkness.

**-oOo-**

Imam watched helplessly as the two large men carried the children unceremoniously to the car waiting for them outside the scrap yard.

Gripping the side of an old rusting engine, he bit his lip, his mind ablaze with actions he should take. He couldn't confront the men; they had weapons and would certainly kill him before he could even reach the children. And then what use would he be to Jack and her friend?

No, he knew those men were from the hospital. He knew they would take them back there, to do all those things that Jack had been so afraid to speaking of.

He couldn't let her go back to that place; he would have to do something. But not alone. He didn't have the skills or the experience.

He would have to find someone willing enough to go in there and rescue them. He needed someone strong, someone fearless, someone dangerous.

He needed…Richard B. Riddick.

**-oOo-**

**Amie - Hey thanks for that. Nice to know my stories aren't a load of bollocks! Cheers!**

**EmmaBug - Well here's a bit more for you!**


	19. Work your Nerves

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Work Your Nerves**

**-oOo-**

The first thing Jack noticed was the throbbing pain in the back of head. Gingerly and with a painful groan, she tried to lift her hand up to nurse the pain, but something cold and metallic wrapped around her wrist prevented her from moving it at all.

A sharp stab of fear penetrated her organs, and her limbs suddenly felt numb.

Oh no, she thought as the past events returned to her, I'm back.

Painfully she opened her eyes to the harsh brightness of the hospital lights. She blinked continuously to get her eyes to adjust and then she tried to get a look at where she was.

It was a small cell or holding area. She was lying on the only piece of furniture in the whole room. A small cold metal bed with only one thin blue sheet over it. The walls were white tiles, as were the floor, and most of the ceiling was made of square lights.

With a groan, Jack buried her face into the blanket and bit back painful tears.

She didn't need anyone to tell her where she was, she was alone and afraid in the one place she didn't ever want to return to. Even T2 was less of a hell then Zathos. She could escape the monsters there, but the ones here had technology, they had a means to keep her imprisoned and keep her alive to inflict the worst pain imaginable.

"No…" she sobbed heatedly into the bed, "Oh God! Not again"

She didn't know why she uttered the Lords name; she still had issues with him. But surprisingly she thought of Riddick when she spoke. She was terrified, because like before, no one would be coming for her, no one strong enough would want to save her.

A silent tear fell down her face and she moved to rub her cheek on the sheet, and flinched when something pinched her arm.

Jack glanced down and saw on her arm, a cotton wad stuck onto her arm with tape. An all so familiar distant and painful memory returned.

Needles.

She fucking hated needles.

Jack turned her head away so she could no longer see her arm and starred about her, looking around hopelessly for any way she could escape. But it was futile, it was an old habit she obviously hadn't kicked.

Always look for a way to escape, even if it's useless.

Something clicked at the metal door in front of her and her eyes snapped dangerously to the small window. A face appeared, but the light reflecting off of the glass made it impossible for her to see who it was.

With a few more clicks, the door was pushed open, and a tall, lanky man in an oversized white coat walked in with a clipboard in his hand.

Nervously he looked at Jack as she lay helpless on the bed. She gulped, trying to hide her fear with a mask of forced anger.

"Why the fuck am I here?" She demanded, in a voice she hoped wasn't as shaky as it sounded.

The man looked slightly taken back, probably expecting her to be more afraid and pleding then angry and insulting.

"Er…" he looked down at the clipboard, "You're here as part as a programme this hospital has been running for many years. You're lucky enough to be a part of it" he smiled, though it looked extrememly forced and fake, "I'm Dr Jackson, and I'll be examining you until my superiors find another purpose for you"

Jack was amazed that this man could keep such a straight and natural face as he spoke of keeping her prisoner against her will.

"You can't keep me here. I ain't done nothing. Is this a hospital? I ain't sick" she said, trying to play the ignorant card.

It was bad enough that they thought she was just an unwanted stray, but it would probably be worse if they figured out she was an escapee. Who knew what they would do to her then.

"I'm sorry, but you don't have much choice" The doctor explained with a smug smile, "We do this planet a favour by picking up the homeless and unwanted and putting their lives to good use. Much like yourself. You're going to contribute to a lifetimes work and research into the human body"

Jack shivered, remembering all those times she had been injected with different coloured fluids, when she had been cut on when she was still conscious, when she had been beaten for daring to fight back.

"What do you mean? What're you going to do to me?" she asked.

"Just some tests you don't really need to know about. You'll be put with the other test subjects in a while, just until your test results come back" he said motioning to the wound on the inside of her elbow.

"What happened to Tim?" she asked bitterly.

Dr Jackson looked at her for a moment as if he were confused, then he smiled, "Oh! The other child you were with! He's in another holding cell till his own results come back. No harm has come to him"

"Yet" Jack muttered, suddenly feeling overcome with guilt. She had guilded that boy to the scrap yard, she had as good as handed him over to these people. It would be her fault if any harm came to him. And she didn't know if she could live with that on her conscious. Once she had been united with the other captives, she would try and scour him out.

"So, just a few questions that I need answered" the doctor asked, grabbing a pen from a top pocket in his coat, "Any allergies?" he asked.

Jack stayed quiet, hell be damned if she was going to co-operate with this sick bastard and his screwy collegues.

Dr Jackson looked up at her from his notepad, frown marks seared across his forehead, "Any allergies?" he repeated.

"Go fuck yourself" Jack snapped.

The doctor guffed and shrugged, "Well, I guess we don't have to do this right now. I understand you must be quite angry after your little accident" he said, motioning to the back of his own head.

"If you mean when that bastard smacked me on the head, then yeah, I am a little pissed off!" she spat.

"Well…" Dr Jackson said, swaying on the balls of his feet, "I'm sure in time you'll learn to forgive us, and think of all the wonderful things you can help us ocumpish in the future"

Jack frowned, "Whatever you have to tell yourself, cheese dick" she snapped, trying to sound more angry then afraid. Right now she thought she couldn't be more terrified.

Dr Jackson frowned, "You've got quite a mouth on you, young man" he said.

But before Jack could retort, the door behind the doctor opened, and another shorter man walked in, swirling his coat behind him like a cape.

Jack's eyes widened as she saw the slicked black hair, smothered in oil. The flawless skin, the spiky dark moustache. It was as if she were looking into the eyes of the Devil.

"I think you're wrong there, Dr Jackson" the man's oily dangerous voice said.

Dr Jackson nodded respectfully, "Sorry Dr Redman, I didn't realise you were coming to see this patient personally" but then it suddenly occurred to him what Dr Redman had said, "Sorry, sir. What was I mistaken with?"

The doctor looked straight passed Jackson and looked directly into Jack's eyes. She felt her mouth gape and her limbs felt number then ever. Her hearted thumped heavily in her ears she could barely hear what was going on.

"That is no boy. She's a girl" he answered, taking a couple of steps past Dr Jackson, his eyes still locked onto Jack's.

She felt herself shaking, her skin felt clammy and tight all of a sudden. Her eyes watered with straining to keep them open and on the man in front of her. The man he had seen while she screamed in pain or when she finally slipped into unconsciousness.

Dr Redman leaned over the trembling Jack, "Hello Audrey. Long time no see"

**-oOo-**

**Amita4ever - Lol, thanks for them comment about the dividers. Very snazzy!**

**Hlp - You see, Riddick is more complicated then some people give him credit for. He's not all sexy muscles, gorgeous eyes and sharp knives...well...not most of the time.**

**A/N : Just to let you know peeps, I'm off to Spain for a week to visit my grandparents, so I won't be updating anytime soon. So I thought I'd give you one last chapter before buggering off for a week in the sun! Ariba Espagna!**


	20. Why don't you butch Up?

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Why Don't You Butch Up?**

**-oOo-**

Imam heart was racing as his hands tightened over the throttle of the Bluebird. For almost two hours he had tried to teach himself to fly the shuttle, hovering gingerly over the broken down vehicles and stray dogs that scurried away as he neared.

"Allah be with me now" he whispered, wiping sweat from his brow and upper lip. He wished he had learned to pilot a shuttle, but it was a very rare skill in a Chrislam preacher.

Finally he settled the Bluebird down once more onto the ground and took a few moments to regain himself. Tilting his head back against the headrest he took a deep breath and exhaled.

He wished he knew where Riddick was. He had only a short time to find him, before something bad happened to Jack. He shuddered to think what she might be facing at that minute. Silently, he took a moment to pray again for her, and then he opened his eyes.

Imam might not be a pilot, but he did have an excellent memory.

He saw, scattered on the bed, the faces of his two new victims were plan as day. Under their worn and gaunt faces were their suspected locations. The womans' had been vague, but the young mans had a name. Torobo.

Of course he had no idea where this town was, and apart from the owner of the motel. No one was about to ask for its location. And typically the motel worker had now skipped town. The front of the building boarded up with a painted wooden sign warning possible travellers that they would get no room there.

Imam sat straight up in his seat and with a stern and steady hand, he gripped the throttle, flicked a few switches that he had quickly learnt stabilised the shuttle and kept the oxygen running through the craft. And with one deep breath he pulled the stick back and held his breath as the Bluebird shot into the air.

**-oOo-**

Riddick was already on his way to find the bakery woman. His mind had never been so full. He had never face so many emotional dilemmas. And it was all because of Jack.

He had never been forced to listen to his moral side before; shit, he didn't even know he had one since he left T2.

_Damn her_, Riddick thought, he'd survived the worst of the worst, he'd beaten man-eaters and escaped alive from inhabitable planets. And all it took to bring him down was a girl.

He laughed out loud at how pathetic that made him seem, which earned him quite a few strange looks from the other few passengers on the hover bus. He glared back at them behind his sunglasses until their eyes returned to the floor.

Riddick had been lucky to catch the last hover bus out of Torobo, which served his purpose, as the crowds were minimum. Two seats down, two old ladies sat nattering about someone's promiscuous daughter and an old drunk in an old worn rain coat was passed out across the front row.

As he rubbed his tired face, he tried to recall why the hell he was going to save this woman. He didn't know her, he didn't care about her, he didn't give a shit if she fell down the stairs and broke her neck.

He knew it was Jack he was doing this for, as long as he wasn't the one who killed the escapee, he guessed that maybe he would make up for the guilt he carried since discovering Jack was one of his targets.

With an angry and frustrated sigh, he leaned back on the seat, "O' back o' the bus" he muttered.

**-oOo-**

**Hlp - Wow! Really since June? Bloody hell!**

**Emma-bug - Lol, wow, thanks for the compliment, but ah...I'm not looking for a relationship right now...lol, only joking! Cheers mate.**

**Freay4lovn - I was having a well deserved holiday. I seriously needed a break, been working my arse off! Thanks for the review.**

**Death By Teacup - Cheers, brief but always good.**

**Anime-catdragon - You're weird. But I like you! Cheers for your comments.**

**BatPhace - Cheers, I got back Tuesday night, but was so hectic I didn't get time to get the next update done till now. It's amazing how much shit doesn't get done when your gone for a week!**

**Amita4ever - Jeez, sorry mate. 'Fraid my grandparents don't have a PC in Spain. But the week has given me a whole draw full of ideas for the story. So they should be better then ever!**

**Hlp - It was spiffing thanks very much!**

**A/N : Hey folks! Got back from Espagna on Tuesday. I was completely knackered but it was bloody awesome. Got a nice tan, caught up with my grandparents, got some lie-ins. Then it was my 20th birthday yesterday, so I had lots of money and presents! **

**You'll probably think this chapters a might weak, but it's leading to some good ones, so CUT ME SOME SLACK! lol, only joking. Anyways, this is just the tit-bit before the buffet, so enjoy and hang on.**


	21. Taking me back to the Slam

**Chapter Twenty**

**Taking Me Back To The Slam**

**-oOo-**

Jack felt the familiar tightness of her skull that the tranquillisers had forced on her. Through her closed eyelids, she could still sense the brightness of the lights on the ceiling.

With a groan, she rolled over, terrified of opening her eyes and seeing what horrors awaited her.

Was she still in the holding cell? Was she in a lab? Had she been operated on? Was she possibly dead?

Then a face popped into her mind. Dr Redman. He knew who she was, he had recognised her. It was foolish to think she would get away with it. They would have figured out sooner or later that she was a girl. But he had known who she was, what her name was before she became Jack.

Her given name had been Audrey, but she hadn't been Audrey for so many years, it was as if that girl had been someone else all together. But the tortures and trials she had endured were all too vivid and familiar.

Jack shuddered as she recalled Dr Redman's face peering over her with a terrible grin. God only knew what was going on in that sick head of his. And that other doctor, Jackson. He was a new face, but he still carried the moral standards of all the other fuckers that worked at the Hospital.

"You awake?" A voice cut through her thoughts.

Jack opened her eyes; she instantly regretted it as the light burned her eyeballs and a flash of pain seared through her brain. Defensively she lifted her hands to her eyes and found her wrists were no longer handcuffed.

"Give it a minute or two. You've been out of at least half an hour" the voice said.

"Where am I?" Jack muttered.

"In a holding cell" came the reply.

"Who are you?"

"Your cellmate. At least until they come for us"

Jack slowly opened her eyes and saw the brightness between her fingers. But slowly the burning faded and the pain in her head became bearable. She found herself lying on her back on another bed, but she was now in a different room to the one before, despite the walls and floors being exactly the same in the previous room.

"You all right?" the voice asked.

Jack slowly turned her eyes to the girl sitting on a bed on the opposite side of the room. Perched on the end was a slight figure. Her frail body was dressed in a uniform of blue trousers and t-shirt made of some kind of papery material. Her skin was deathly pale, but her eyes were dark and intelligent. She had a thin face and high cheekbones. Something in her face reminded Jack of herself when she was younger and carried the name of Audrey. Her hair was startlingly dark and came out of her head in thick curly waves.

"Yeah" Jack coughed, her throat dry, slowly she sat up and swung her legs off the bed and leaned forward over her lap.

"So who was your welcome party?" the girl asked curiously.

"Erm…" Jack pressed her mind, "Jackson"

"Oh" the girl smirked, "He's just a giant pussy. I wouldn't worry about him. It's Garfield and the master himself that you need to worry about" and with that she leaned back on herself and looked up at the ceiling.

"You mean Dr Redman?" Jack said without realised what she had just given away.

The girl starred at her, "How do you know him?"

Jack tried to think of a lie, but thought it would just be easier to tell the truth, "I was here before. A few years back, but I escaped with a few others"

The girl suddenly sat up again, deeply interested all of a sudden, "You're one of the escapees?" she asked rather impressed. Jack nodded.

"Huh" the girl said, "And you back here because…?"

Jack glared. Obviously the girl thought her stupid for getting herself caught again after being lucky enough to escape the first time.

"I didn't have a choice. I was travelling with others. They didn't know my story, I couldn't tell them" she added sadly.

The girl nodded, "That's cool. I got unlucky too. Hitched a ride but got my ass kicked off at the nearest port. Some guys jumped me and I woke up here. That was about two years ago," she explained, tracing something on her leg.

Jack starred at her, studying the girls features. She looked eerily like herself. She imagined that if she had long hair and lost some of the baby fat she still carried; they could almost look like sisters.

Her eyes roamed the room again, "So why aren't we with the others?"

"I'm in solitary confinement. I guess they didn't want you with the others just yet" she explained.

Jack cocked her head, "Why're you in confinement?"

The girl gave her a wry smile, "For playing my favourite game" she smiled, "Who's the better killer. I stabbed a doctor in the neck with his own pencil"

Jack couldn't help smiling herself, she liked this game. She had had the worst luck, but she still found a way to deal with it and make as much hell for their captors as she could.

"Good game. You mind if I play one of these days?" she asked in jest.

The girl laughed "Only if you don't mind the consequences" and with that she got to her feet, turned around and lifted her top to show an array of deep cuts across her back.

Jack flinched, she had felt the harsh tail of the punishment whip a few times herself. It was enough to keep you doubled over for a good few days.

"How long you been in here?" Jack asked. The girl dropped her top and flopped back down on the bed.

"Probably a week. Last time I was in here for a fortnight. Broke Garfield's nose when he forced himself on me" she explained.

Jack laughed aloud again. But deep inside she grew fearful. Garfield was a known rapist in the hospital. He preyed on girls. And as she looked down on herself in her new smocks, her lumps and bumps were more prominent now then ever.

"I wouldn't worry so much. If you keep smacking him about, he gets bored. Just don't let him beat you down," the girl warned.

Jack nodded. She had never had to worry about being the object of someone's desire, playing the part of a male since before she even got her period had prevented her from that experience. But now she was uncomfortably aware that anyone and everyone could see she was a girl.

"So is that why you shaved your head?" the girl asked.

Jack unconsciously rubbed a hand over her naked scalp, "I got sick of being seen as a little girl. You just a little bit safer if people think you're a boy," she said, all the while thinking of Johns and his reaction when he discovered she was a girl.

"It's been a while since I met someone who don't take shit from no one" the girl smiled, "I like you. Maybe we could watch each others back" she twitched her back consciously, "Figuratively speaking of course" she smiled sadly.

Jack nodded, "I'd like that" she smiled.

"What's your name?"

"Jack" she replied, the girl stepped forward, rubbed her palm on her trouser leg and offered it to Jack, who took it and shook.

"Nice to meet you Jack. I'm Kyra"

**-oOo-**

**Hlp - Wow, thanks mate. That really put a smile on my face! Glad I made your day a little better. That's my good deed for the day!**

**Amita4ever - Yep, I'm not getting rid of Imam just yet. He still has an important role to play in getting Riddick to see sense. Thanks for the comment.**

**BatPhace - Cheers mate, glad to see you're still hanging in there.**

**A/N : You guys probably know now what direction I'm going to take in Part II. Coz if Kyra isn't Jack, then maybe Jack doesn't die...ooh! Part II is going to be set after The Chronicles of Riddick. I hope I keep true to Kyra's character, even though in the film Kyra and Jack are the same person. It's gonna get rather confusing!**


	22. Knocked Out

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Knocked Out**

**-oOo-**

As Jack and Kyra sat together in the cold sterile holding cell, Jack realised that despite their physical similarities, they both came from very different pasts. Where Jack had come from an unloving family and was carted from family to family, been beaten and starved until she finally plucked the courage to escape.

Kyra, however, had been born into a wealthy family with strong political ties on one of the master systems of Triton 6. However there was an uprising and the family were forced to flee the planet when Kyra was just seven-years-old.

They were taken to a government facility on a secondary planet where they continued to enjoy their luxurious lifestyle. However rebels from the first uprising had learnt of the families location and kidnapped Kyra, but in the struggle, Kyra's mother had been killed leaving her father alone in the empty house, believing his whole family dead, he took a handgun to his temple.

Kyra spent almost two months with her captors, but she was able to relieve one of them of their handgun and took five of the rebels out before they even realised what had happened, but she had already escaped and spent year after year living on the streets surviving off what she stole. She was taken in by a street gang on a planet in one of the outer system, they taught her how to fight, but it was no good against the thugs that took her away when she landed on Zathos.

But regardless or how much training and street knowledge they had, they had still been caught, and where serving a sentence in the pit of Hell. Jack jumped at almost every sound that wasn't either Kyra or herself talking. Eventually, when silence dawned on their conversation, Jack was a nervous wreak. She felt cold yet boiling hot, her heartbeat raced and she felt beads of sweat trickle down her brow.

Kyra, however, appeared remarkably cool and collected, almost as if she were just sitting in a waiting room until her name was called. Jack guessed that was because she was so used to this place, she knew exactly where she was going when their escort came. Jack had never been in isolation on her first imprisonment, she had been smart enough to keep her head down and stay out of trouble. Obviously torture and rape weren't that much of a deterrent for her new friend, but her thoughts went back to Tim. He was sitting alone somewhere because she had dragged him to the scrap yard.

"Don't let them see your fear Jack" Kyra said, flicking dirt from under her nails, "They'll eat you alive"

Jack shifted, "Easy for you to say, I have no fucking clue what they're going to do to me. I'm an escapee, most of the others were murdered by…" but she pursed her mouth before she finished her sentence, obviously she had said to much, but Kyra looked too interested to let this go.

"Murdered? You mean Redman actually sent someone to kill you guys? That's fucked up" she breathed, then she looked at Jack suspiciously, "You must have been lucky, damn lucky to have escaped an assassin. I'm sure Redman hired a good one, specially if what you say is true. Most of the other escapes were killed? He must be good"

"Well all he had to do was finish them off. His informants gave him all the details" Jack spat bitterly, finding it hard to bite her tongue, she noted Kyra starring at her, "I bumped into another escapee" she lied quickly, "he'd had a close call with the assassin"

"Lucky bastard to escape" Kyra smirked. Jack nodded, unable to meet her glare.

"How long to you think we've been in here?" Jack breathed, desperate to change the subject.

Kyra leaned against the wall, "Since you joined me? Probably about two hours. They'll be here soon," she added.

"And then what?" Jack asked.

"Well, I'll probably get another knuckle sandwich before they throw me back into the population. I dunno what they'd do to you" she replied.

"Great" Jack rolled her eyes, and then the door clicked and every muscle in Jack's body tensed. Even Kyra seemed to be on edge, gripping the bed so tightly her knuckles went white.

The door flew open and two guards walked in, each in blue doctors uniforms, but with a baton in their hands.

They smirked down at the two girls, "Time to go" one of them smirked.

"About time, dickweed" Kyra jested, all fear gone from her face, "We were running out of things to talk about" she nodded towards Jack, "Can't exactly talk about the weather, can we?" she added smugly.

One of the guards strode forward and slapped her hard across the face with the back of his palm. She flew across the bed and grabbed at her cheek with both hands, her hair sprawled around her face.

"Shut your mouth, bitch. Or I'll find another use for it" he laughed with a morbid look on his face as he peered over his shoulder to his colleague.

"Only if you want to be castrated" Kyra spat, cracking her jaw.

The guard lifted his arm again to swing it down on her, but Jack was on her feet within seconds and grabbed it in midair.

"Don't touch her!" she snapped. But something smacked her hard on the back of her skull and she was knocked down. Bright lights flashed before her eyes before she realised the other guard had smacked her with his baton.

"So you've made a new friend then, Kyra" the first guard smirked. He grabbed Jack's head in his huge palm and jerked it back to look into her eyes, "Pretty thing, shame you hacked off your hair. You're not a lez are you?" he grinned.

Jack glared angrily, the back of her head still throbbing.

The guard that hit her pulled her roughly to her feet, "Come on Banham, we've got to get these two back to the population. I want my lunch break sometime today" he muttered, roughly tugging Kyra to her feet and swiftly cuffed her hands together behind her back.

The guard named Banham did the same to Jack and both her shoved from the room, the guards unconsciously smacking the batons into their palms.

A cold sweat crawled over Jack's brow. She had walked down these corridors before, it seemed she still remembered where she was going in this place, which might at some point prove to be an advantage, but at the present, she allowed the guards to push her into the right direction.

It seemed they were heading towards the mess room, a place where the doctors stored all the inactive inmates until it was their time to be tortured. The girls were marched down another corridor, this time one side was a wall of glass that led out into the mess room. It was about the size of a football field, a dozen or so plastic benches and chairs had been screwed to the ground, and behind a thick layer of bullet-proof glass, a couple of lunch ladies were slapping disgusting gruel onto paper plates and passing it through little gaps in the glass to the inmates.

The room was disgustingly unsanitised. The floor was covered with a very thin carpet, it was scratchy beneath bare feet and a disgusting dark blue colour that had worn away in some places and dark patches in others where inmates had urinated.

The walls were a disgusting cream colour that over time had darkened to a rotten egg shade and there were suspicious red splatters of what looked like blood over small patches.

Kyra and Jack were shoved through the metal doors where the guards took off their restraints. Banham sneered at them whilst the other guard just walked away and locked the door behind them.

Jack looked at Kyra, "This place is the same" she muttered, Kyra nodded her head and joined the queue waiting for a meal. Jack cautiously followed, eyeing the other inmates, who all seemed to be ignoring each other or congregating in small groups.

"Trying to keep sane" Jack mumbled. That was what she had done, keep talking, try to act as normal as possible, force the pain and suffering from your mind.

"What was that?" Kyra asked over her shoulder as the line moved forward.

"Nothing" Jack replied, "So what Battery are you in?" she asked.

The population was split into several groups or batteries of about twenty people, Jack never figured out if they were put into random groups or if there was a specific reason. Jack remembered that she was grouped with about seven older males, two girls about her own age and a few older woman, one of whom was discovered pregnant a few weeks after joining the population. She was removed and never seen of again.

"Battery Four, there's mostly old women in my group, they keep to themselves" she explained and pointed to the corner of the room where around a plastic table sat about six females in deep discussion. One seemed to be cradling a small boy on her lap.

"I was in Battery Six, most of us escaped. I'm guessing the rest might still be here" she said, scoring her eyes over the mess hall, but she didn't see any familiar faces. Again the girls moved forward as the queue pressed on, "There were about thirty-five Batteries back then. How many are there now?" she asked, suddenly aware that there were far more people here this time.

Kyra threw a glance at her over her shoulder, "There's fifty-two now"

"Jesus" Jack muttered under her breath. All this time, she had hoped that the hospital was getting weaker, especially with the escape, but it seemed the years had been prosperous for Dr Redman and his sick hospital.

Finally they reached the front of the queue. The miserable dinner lady slapped the runny gruel into the bowl and snarled at both girls. Jack remembered her from before, no way could she forget that great big wart on the end of her crooked greasy nose.

Silently they found a table that was empty except for a few dirty paper bowls and sat down to force the vile food down their throats. Jack recalled how disgustingly like sandpaper it was, but she was starving and couldn't be fussy.

"I wonder why they didn't just kill you when they dragged your ass back here" Kyra frowned, licking the rest of the goo off her spoon.

Jack dug around the slop and averted her eyes from Kyra's stare, "They were going to kill me because they couldn't find me. Now they've got me, why waste another body to torture" she shrugged.

"I guess, but hey, at least you're guaranteed a free meal and board. Freedom ain't all that" she smiled, though there was something sad in the back of her eyes. It tortured Jack to realise that Kyra had given up her hopes of ever being free.

"How can you just accept this life?" Jack asked, "How can anyone just submit to what these fuckers are doing?"

Kyra shrugged, "We ain't got no choice. You escaped because of a fluke, it wasn't masterminded. Doesn't matter that you got out last time, things are even more tighter now"

Jack sighed in frustration and lifted her eyes to the crowd; all these people were walking around like fucking zombies, just allowing this life to consume them. Jack had always had hope that she would escape and she did, but Kyra had a point. It was an accident that the wall had collapsed; it wasn't some big plan they had come up with. Truth is, if it hadn't had happened, she would probably have been here this whole time. Either that or dead.

Then something caught her eye. Messy hair and a baby face. Tim!

Jack got to her feet, "I'll be right back" she muttered to Kyra as she stalked off towards the small boy.

It was Tim all right; he was huddled against the wall, picking the dirt out of his fingernails with his head hanging limply on his chest. He looked so miserable and afraid.

"Tim?" she asked timidly. Tim looked up, his cheeks looked tear stained. His pathetic state left Jack feeling hollow but filled with guilt at the same time. She knelt beside him, he flinched, "Are you ok?" she asked softly.

"So you are a chick?" he muttered, Jack felt self-conscious again about her curves and bumps. She flattened down her uniform again with sweaty palms, "Yeah, sorry, I didn't think you'd trust me if you thought I was"

At this he glared at Jack, "I shouldn't have trusted you, full-stop! It's your fucking fault I'm in here!" he growled dangerously. Jack looked at him painfully.

"I'm sorry Tim. I didn't mean for this to happen"

"Well it did! If I'd known that that psycho Doctor Redman was after you, I would've kicked your ass out of my shop without another thought! You tricked me, and because of you I'm in this shit hole" his anger radiated off him, Jack felt almost frightened of him.

"What did he tell you?" Jack asked.

"Enough. But he told me what they did to people here" his anger was momentarily replaced with fear, "You did this to me, Jack" he spat her name with such temper Jack thought she had imagined that fear for a second.

"Tim, I-" but Tim got to his feet before she could speak, his fist clenched and his face red.

"Don't call me that! I don't have a name and soon I probably won't even be alive! Stay the fuck away from me Jack. I ain't listening to anything you gotta say" and with that he stalked off into the group, some of which were giving her odd looks.

Jack stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath and closing her tired eyes. Things were only getting worse and worse. Tim hated her, it was her fault he was here and now she was back in the belly of Hell.

Slowly she opened her eyes and a face loomed into view. A girl, her own age, with long red hair and dark skin which were terribly familiar to her, but a hideous scar that marred her beautiful face had no place in her memory. But then as the girl glared at her with those rare bright blue eyes, she knew instantly.

"Kate?" she whispered.

The girl struck out before Jack had time to think and hooked her across the jaw. Jack went down and hit her head on the ground, momentarily seeing stars. A number of gasps echoed around her.

"Hey bitch, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" She heard Kyra yell.

Jack pushed her palm against her aching jaw and lifted her head off the ground. Kyra was standing in front of Kate, who seemed to be ignoring Kyra all together but glaring at Jack, massaging her knuckles.

"Wha…?" she mumbled.

"Glad to see you still remember me, Audrey!" she spat angrily, "You didn't seem to when you left me when you escaped!"

Another wave of gasps broke out among the growing crowd of spectators.

"I'm sorry" Jack muttered, barely able to hold her head up, but she pushed herself up off the ground, "I didn't have a choice"

Kate snorted angrily, "Is that what you've been telling yourself?"

Jack couldn't answer, but before Kate could open her mouth, a group of guards swept in, tunnelling a way through the crowd and glared at the three girls in the middle.

"Break it up, girls, or it'll be isolation for a week" the guard with glasses barked. He caught sight of Kyra, "No surprises that you're involved in this, Kyra"

Kyra curtsied, "I try" she smirked.

The guard pushed Kate away while the others marched towards Jack and Kyra. Kyra put her hands up defensively, "Alright, alright, we're going over here" she motioned, taking Jack under the arm and leading her through the crowd and to a quiet corner.

Jack collapsed onto the ground, her face still painfully aching from the punch to the nose, but she couldn't ignore the people walking past, whispering and staring at her.

"No ones ever seen an escapee return" Kyra explained, "I guess they have a lot of questions"

"Well they can get in line" Jack mumbled, nursing her sore nose. Kyra nodded at it and tore a small piece of fabric from the cuff of her trousers; "You're bleeding" she said and passed the material to Jack.

She took it gratefully and pressed it to her face. Her heart was racing. She have never felt so terrible. She had ruined two lives and now she was left with the consequences.

"So what was that about?" Kyra asked

"Nothing I want to talk about" Jack mumbled, glaring at an old man who was starring at her with a bemused expression.

"Well we ain't going anywhere for a while. And I ain't gonna stop asking" she smiled.

Jack almost laughed. If it weren't for Kyra she would probably have tried to kill herself by now.

"Alright, but you might hate me after I tell you" Jack warned, removing the blood soaked material from her nose, "It was on the night of the escape…"

**-oOo-**

**RiddicksQueen - When you say my grammer is like yours...is that good or bad? Anyways, thanks for the review mate.**

**Hlp - Thanks, glad to hear I'm getting better and better! I always look forward to your reviews. Don't fail me now!**

**A/N : Come on people! I've been checking my hit list, and I'm getting about three hundred! but I'm only getting a small handful of reviews (great as they are!). Seriously! I look forward to your reviews as much as some of you look forward to my updates! So do me a favour, please! I write more if you write more, fair deal, huh?**


	23. The only reason we're Alive

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**The Only Reason We're Alive...**

**-oOo-**

The sun was already setting when Imam finally crossed the border into Torobo, but he needed half an hour to finally land the Bluebird in a deserted field near the main town. The jolt of the landing almost caused Imam to fall from his seat had he not been strapped into the chair.

Without much hesitation, he unhooked himself and grabbed his satchel before securing the shuttle and took in his surroundings.

The field itself was muddy and dark giving life only to small shoots. The fields went on for miles, right up to the town that obviously fed from the fields. Imam realised it wouldn't be long before the farmers of the fields noticed the shuttle on their land. But he would have enough time to do what was needed. So with a deep breath he headed towards the town, which seemed livelier then the previous, but still redundant of most technologies that other planets were equipped with decades ago.

Imam wasn't bothered though, he liked the simpler life. He was sure that had he note followed the ways of his Lord, he would have brought a farm on a distant planet, much like this. But such times seemed a dream for Imam. Now it seemed he was living a life he had not prepared himself for. He was tracking a ruthless killer.

His thoughts kept going back to Jack and how she was faring. Such a young girl shouldn't have been exposed to such a terrible life. He prayed once more for her safety. He wished he had asserted himself more before they had left the last planet. He wished Jack had opened up to him instead of holding in all her fears and secrets. A thought struck Imam. Maybe that was what put Riddick in such a rage, the fact that Jack had not told him the truth. Although Riddicks instincts were primal at best, and he acted mostly like an animal, he still had come accustomed to Jack, maybe he even relised in the attentions she bestowed on him. She had hurt him the moment he discovered her secret because he had thought she respected him enough to tell him everything.

This new revelation opened Imams eyes. Riddick was hurting. He did feel.

All he had to do now, was to appeal to this side of Riddick, and hope that maybe he would see sense and save the one person who gave him cause the live.

Imam finally staggered onto the road, which was mostly cobbled stone, and melded into the flurry of activity. Mostly merchants selling their wares, or old folks making their way home.

Imam followed an older woman into the local salon. The windows were dirty and the door was peeling paint, but there were at least several people inside to show that the shop was open.

Casually he opened the door of the shop and was confronted by the curious stares of three women, all lined up under hairdryers. He smiled and walked over to the counter where a platinum blonde middle-aged woman was scratching notes into a journal. A task made difficult by her two-inch long, red nails.

Imam waited for her to finish jotting her notes when she finally looked up at him with makeup caked over her face.

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked in a rather condescending tone. Imam smiled pleasantly at her.

"I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for a young man, about thirty-years-old, dark hair?" he asked.

The woman eyed him suspiciously, "Any reason why you'll looking for someone with that description?" she added coyly, picking dirt from under her talons.

Again Imam smiled, "Ah, I thought you might ask. He is a student of mine. He wishes to be baptised and become a true child of Chrislam"

The receptionist looked at him cautiously, "Even so, you've just described about two dozen people in Torobo. Any reason why you don't know his name?"

Imam laughed, "I do apologise, but I have so many students and the papers given to me on him were lost on my long journey here from New Mecca"

The woman nodded, seemingly taking in the lies he fed her. Imam swallowed down the uneasy guilt.

"Maybe this will help, he has a scar on one side of his face and a small piece of his left ear missing in an unfortunate accident he had as a child" He suddenly shut his mouth, fearing he might have said too much to confirm her suspicions that he was lying.

However the receptionist looked as if she were pondering the information, "There is one young man who works at a restaurant with a scar across his eye. I didn't know he was Chrislam though. Haard to tell with some people, isn't it?"

"Allah reaches all who wish to follow" Imam bowed with a smile, "You say he works in a restaurant. Where abouts may I ask?"

"The pizza place, right near the swamp. I forget what it's called" she replied.

Imam again bowed, "I thank you, have a pleasant day" he smiled and left the salon followed by an outburst of crazed gossip.

Imam didn't hear what the women had to say about the outsider, he was striding fast towards the swamp as fast as his legs could carry him, hoping that he was not too late. But then hope rose in his chest as he rounded the swamp and saw the sign for _Pigmy's Place_ where a large picture of a pizza occupied a grubby window.

There was only one person serving the customers, which in themselves were very few. Two larger men sat stuffing their faces with large slices of pizza. Another young boy with his mother sat before one another eating chips and drinking fizzy drinks.

He slowly made his way to the counter, standing behind a queue of three teenage boys. The man behind the counter was rushed off his feet, trying to do several different jobs at once. When finally Imam reached the counter he could see beads of sweat on the mans' face and a vein throb at his neck.

"How can I help you?" he growled.

"Actually" Imam started with a gracious smile, "I was wondering if you could direct me to the gentleman who works here. He has a scar across his right eye and chunk of his ear missing" he added.

The man eyed him suspiciously, just as the receptionist had, but unlike Imam's predictions that he would question Imam further, the man growled, "You mean that son-of-a-bitch Wilkins who just up and left me running this joint by myself"

Imam felt hopeful, "I was wondering if you could point me in his direction. I need to speak to him on personal family matters"

But it seemed the man didn't need an explanation and was pleased to tell Imam that he would probably be at his motel in the west district. Imam thanked the man profusely and rushed out of the shop with as much dignity as he could muster.

He trotted down the street and headed west down a long alley of run down shanty houses where old beggars and skinny dogs occupied most of the road. He hurried along until he saw a small pathway adjoining a small garden where a long concrete block of several small motels lay.

It was by far the more impressive of the buildings in the district, but it was easy to find who he was looking for. The motel door was held wide open and flurry of clothes and possessions were thrown haphazardly out of the door and into an open suitcase.

Imam peered through the door, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched, almost in humour at the urgency of the mans panic and the realisation that Riddick had left him alive.

There was hope.

"Mr Wilkins I assume" Imam began. The man jumped with a gasp and turned pointing a pistol in one shaky hand. Imam felt cold, but knew the man would not shoot unless provoked.

Imam put up his hands in surrender, "I do not wish to harm you, only to speak. You are Mr Wilkins are you not?"

The man nervously swabbed his brow with his sleeve. Imam noticed the gash across his eye and noticeable chunk missing from his ear.

"And who the fuck is asking?" the man twitched.

"Only a concerned friend. I happen to know little of your predicament, but I know a man was sent here to kill you not long ago. I assume by the fact you are still alive, that he let you go?"

The man slowly lowered his gun, "He did. What the hell has any of this to do with you?"

Imam slowly stepped forward into the motel room, Wilkins stepped back, still cautious.

"I was travelling with the one who was sent to kill you" at this the man lifted the gun once more, "But I was also travelling with a young girl. Annother escapee. I know her as Jack, but she might have been know under another name"

Wilkins lowered his gun again, "Jack? I don't know any Jack. Describe her"

"She is about fifteen now. Dark eyes, slight figure. I would imagine she had dark hair, but she shaved it to remain inconspicuous"

A frown creased the brow of Wilkins, but slowly it unfurled, "I only know one girl who escaped with us. Audrey her name was"

Imam breathed, Audrey? So much of this little girl he knew nothing about. He had known her only as Jack, as a girl trapped in a boys persona. But this man had known a completely different Jack. So which one was the true Jack? His or this mans?

"Audrey" he said tasting the new name. It was alien.

Wilkins looked curious, "Where is she? Audrey? Is she ok?"

Imam smiled sadly, "I am afraid I do not know. She was captured by three men not long ago. I fear she was taken back to that accursed place"

A look of fear flitted across his face, "Then she's as good as dead. It was stupid of you to bring her back here. She was safer away from this place" and he dropped his pistol by his side completely and continued to stuff his things into his suitcase.

"Jack didn't feel she could confide in me. I would have done all in my power to have kept her from this place had I known"

"Either way, it's too late for her now" Wilkins muttered.

"Not so. The man who came to kill you is her only chance. I am tracking him. Did he give you any indication to where he was going next?"

Wilkins shuddered, "I want nothing to do with that man. Yes he didn't kill me, but I don't want to cross his path again"

"I'm not asking you to, young man. I only need to find him, surely you would give me this piece of information if it saved a young girl from a fate worse then death"

Wilkins looked thoughtful and pained, "You don't know what they do to people there. What they did to me. Everyday I wished to die in my sleep, I had to go through sleepless nights listening to the screams of the others"

"Then you understand why I must try to save her. Please, if you know anything, I would be entirely grateful" Imam pleaded, "I know that he was paid to kill another on this planet, in a town not far from here working in a bakery. Another escapee"

Willkins looked sharply at Imam, "Moria? She's still here?" then he saw Imam's questionable glance, "She and I were close in the hospital, we kept in contact mostly. She told me about a bakery she had opened nearby. I told her it was stupid, it was like waving a red flag in a bulls face. Sooner or later they'd come for her again. Buut she didn't want to show that she was afraid" he lowered his head, "I haven't heard from her for months. I assumed she'd either been captured or escaped"

"It seems that she is still here" Imam replied, "I was hoping you might be able to point me in the right direction. I must reach Riddick before his next move, although wise I fear I might lose my one chance at saving Jack"

Wilkins looked sorrowful, "If it will save Moria and Audrey, I will help you. But that's all I can do. I'm no hero, but I hope you manage to get the assassin on your side. For the sakes of every poor soul in that place"

Imam waited patiently for Wilkins to draw a map onto a piece of paper. It took no more than a few minutes but he handed it to Imam with some reluctance. But when all was done, Imam wished him well and left the man to his packing.

Imam moved swiftly back to the Bluebird, happy to find only a few crows had discovered his shuttle and had made perches of the wings. But soon he was hovering in the air with the map on his lap and a new hope in his heart.

**-oOo-**

**anime-catdragon - Thanks for the review. Luckily school isn't anything I have to worry about, but I do miss finishing at 3:20 instead of 5!**

**pyro freak - Thanks mate! Aww, always good to hear my work is being appreciated (sp?) by individuals like yourself!**

**Melissa - And this one is heading your way! Thanks for the review.**

**Amita4ever - Hey! A familiar face! (well name) thanks for the review. I like throwing in little surprises for you. Yeah I know my grammer sucks the big one. But I trying to get all my ideas down on the webpage so quickly my snappy fingers forget a button or two along the way!**

**BatPhace - Yeah! I know you do Batty! You were excluded from my telling off. I always look forward to your reviews.**

**Death By Teacup - Cool name! Thanks for the encouraging statement.**

**FitMama - Damn! My evil plan has been exposed!**

**Foracious23 - To answer your questions in order; probably not, yes (maybe), of course! Sorry for being ham-fisted, but I'm not gonna give the whole plot away!**

**A/N : Hey guys! Sorry this ones taken so long. I couldn't get on to the internet and all my chapters were on this laptop. But obviously it's up and running once more so I will give you the next installment. Glad to see more people decided to message me! It brought a huge smile on my face. Seriously, I got a lot of weird looks in the office! Anyways, keep it up and let me know your thoughts. Peace out!**


	24. A bit of a bad Sign

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**It's a bit of a bad Sign**

**-oOo-**

_Sleep never came that night. The torture she had sustained that day, made lying on any side a painful experience._

_A tear crawled down her face and onto the thin yellowing sheets she had forced over her head to prevent any of the other members of her Battery from seeing her in this state._

_She closed her eyes and recalled the drill squealing as it punctured the back of her skull, and the constant jabbing of needles into her arm to stop her from screaming and trying to escape the brutal agony the doctors forced on her._

_As she lay, face up on the operating table, she could see only one face among the plenty of masked doctors. He was the only one who starred down at her, the only one who didn't feel guilty to stare into the eyes of the one he was torturing._

_Dr Redman smirked at her, pleased to see the tears rolling down her face. She flinched as another scalpel cut into the flesh of her belly, but she didn't speak, she didn't beg. She knew they were deaf to her pleas. None of them cared._

_Jack's eyes flew open when a burst of light glowed through her eyelids followed by a loud and heavy explosion that rocked Jack out of bed and she landed painfully on her right side._

_Screams and loud groans erupted from the inmates surrounding her. Slowly she got to her feet, just as the fire alarms flared into action. Red lights streaked through the darkness. She looked over her shoulder to Will, he ruffled his dreadlocks and looked at her still with sleep in his eyes._

_"Wha'?" he mumbled._

_Jack shrugged and turned when a sudden shout erupted near the door, it seemed in the confusion, the explosion, or whatever had caused the huge noise, had knocked it off its hinges, and huge gusts of wind blew through the shattered doors and into the faces of the captives._

_Suddenly feet were slamming on the ground as everyone ran for the exit all at once. People screamed and shouted, trying to climb over each other in pure desperation to get to the exit._

_Then more screams followed by gunfire. Jack jumped which brought her out of her stupour. Suddenly someone grabbed her arm and was hauling her towards the broken door. Will was pushing her forward, toward their only way out. Kate pushed against her, she looked utterly terrified but very determined._

_"It's our chance" Jack heard her whisper._

_All three of them jumped out of the door at the same time, the corridor was seething with people scrambling to get out. Jack couldn't see the hole in the wall, but by the way people were screaming and crying with relief, she knew it was right round the corner. Her heart lifted, but it was suddenly choaked when guards ran up on all sides, pouncing on those that were closest to them._

_Will pulled Jack along faster, ducking and diving out of the way of all the guards. People were getting pulled away from the huddle, almost like a flock of birds evading a predator._

_People fell under them, but Will was relentless, stumbling over those that had fallen, and dragging Jack with her. Kate was lagging behind but Jack grabbed her arm and hauled her closer, almost pulling her off her feet._

_They rounded the corner and there it was, a huge hole in the side of the wall. Outside it was raining hard, impossible to see what was beyond the building. But they all ran into it anyway, unknowning what will happen, but just do desperate to escape the hospital._

_"Audrey!" Someone yelled her name. As she was pulled along, Jack looked over her shoulder and saw that Kate had been yanked from her grip and was sprawled over the floor._

_Jack stopped and starred, Will's grip loosened on her arm._

_"Audrey, we gotta go!" his voice echoed in her head, "This is our only chance"_

_But Jack moved forward determined to help Kate, but as she got to her feet, a guard stepped up behind her and grabbed her around the neck. Her eyes widen in horror and Jack stopped in her tracks._

_"Audrey! AUDREY! Help me!" she screamed, the guard tried to wrestle her back down the corridor. She knew she was no match for the guard, but she had to try something to help her._

_"Audrey!" Will's voice rang in her mind, "COME ON!" He yelled and grabbing her arm once more and pulled her back with him with such strength that she was nearly bowled over as she was pulled further and further away from Kate._

_"Audrey no! Come back!" she yelled helplessly, but Jack could only shed tears as she was hauled into the rain. The Earth weeping with her_.

**-oOo-**

Jack pursed her mouth shut as she finished her story, waiting for Kyra to speak. She studied the girls face which was passive. She couldn't tell whether she supported Kate's outburst or was on Jack's side. After a minute or two of silence, she finally spoke up.

"I think this place is more Hell to you then it is to me. At least I don't have to face the ones I left behind," she muttered.

Jack glanced at her, "Yeah, kinda sucks" she muttered, "I don't think she'll ever forgive me"

"Well, would you?" she replied, inspecting her nails.

Jack glanced at her; "Guess not" she said sadly.

Kyra saw something in the corner of her eye and went pale, "Heads up" she whispered.

Jack panicked, thinking maybe Kate was back but as she gazed up she saw that many of the inmates were moving away quickly as two guards marched over to them. Jack stiffened and felt Kyra do the same next to her.

One of the guards was thick necked and muscular, while the other had a high forehead and a large crooked nose that had obviously been broken once or twice. They stopped right in front of the two girls and snarled.

"C132, you have an appointment with Dr Redman" the thick-necked guard said.

Jack sighed as she recognised her own identification number. Slowly she got to her feet but was jerked forward by one of the guards.

"Hey!" Kyra yelled and got to her feet, but the guard with the crooked nose slapped her hard across the face, knocking her to the ground.

"Leave her alone!" Jack yelled, "I'll come quietly," she added.

The guard glared down at Kyra as she held her cheek, his arm raised in the air. But he dropped his arm and both guards pushed Jack towards the mess hall door and back through the corridor.

One of the guards moved in front of her to show her the way as she moved through the maze of corridor. Hr heart thumped in her throat and her hands began to shake. Why did Dr Redman need to see her? She hadn't done anything? She'd barely been in with the population for more than an hour. But then what was she expecting? To just waltz back into the hospital with no questions asked? Of course they'd want something from her.

Jack walked silently along behind the guard on the familiar route to Dr Redman's office. She felt some relief, this meant that maybe she would not be tortured at least for one more day. But she had never been summoned to Dr Redman's office before. She shuddered to think what it could be about. The guard nudged her with the butt of his baton, indicating her to turn left and face the sterile white door.

Jack eyed the name plate hanging by a nail and bit her lip as the guard rapped his knuckles three times against the door. A loud booming voice bode them to enter. The guard pushed the door open with the baton and with a shove pushed Jack into the darkened room. She looked behind her as the guard snarled and shut the door behind her.

Gingerly, Jack rubbed her arm nervously and looked around her. Unlike the rest of the hospital, this room has some character. She saw all sorts of gizmo's and gadgets. Deep mahogany furniture took up most of the large office. There were a few shelves stacking awards and trinkets. Jack noticed that there wasn't a single picture or photo in the room. Then her eyes fell on Dr Redman. He sat behind his large desk, his eyes trained on her and his hands clasped together.

Jack fidgeted uncomfortably, unable to stare down those humourless eyes. She hated the way he looked at her, his eyes unreadable, his lip curled into a shadow of a smirk and his eyebrows slightly raised from their normal position.

"Hello Audrey" he said with no emotion in his eyes.

Jack's insides crawled under his stare but she was determined not to let it seem that she was terrified of him. Instead she starred steadily back, waiting for his next move.

Finally, after what felt like minutes not seconds, he drummed the tips of his fingers together, altogether with a satisfied smile on his face.

"My, my. You really have changed, Audrey. Such a shame you marred yourself in that way" he said, gesturing to her shaven head. Jack self-consciously rubbed her stubbly scalp.

"I have to say, it was rather brave of you to come back here" he eyed her suspiciously, "Brave or very foolish"

Jack gulped, not trusting herself to speak. The last thing she wanted to do was to expose Riddick and Imam, she had already gotten Tim into this mess, she refused to allow any danger to come to her former companions, despite how much she hated Riddick right now.

Dr Redman realised Jack wasn't going to fall for the baiting, so sighed and leaned back against his leather chair, "I see you don't feel much like talking today, so I'll explain to you why you're here" and with that he leaned down over an open drawer of his desk and pulled out a folder. Jack eyed it suspiciously, wondering what was in it.

Dr Redman saw her curiosity and smiled, "I found this on my desk this morning and as I sat here and studied it, all the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, save for a few questions I will need answering" he stated, glaring at Jack making her realise that she was the one who was going to answer the questions.

With one flip of an index finger, Dr Redman opened the file and becomed Jack to step forward. She tried to strain her neck to get a better look at the picture inside, but she couldn't see what the image was without taking another step forward towards this repulsive man.

She eyed him carefully as she moved a little closer, he refused to take his eyes off her too as if trying to read something on her face. But when she was near enough to the desk to smell his musky aftershave, she shifted her gaze from his cold eyes to the document lying on the desk in front of her

She couldn't help it; a gasp escaped her lips as she felt her heart hit the bottom of her stomach.

The picture before her showed quite clearing the sandy dilapidated hanger of Hawthorn Spaceport, and standing outside, starring into the darkness of the building was none other then herself standing alongside a very overbearing figure that was Riddick.

She tore her eyes away from the picture back up to Dr Redman's calculating eyes. He seemed satisfied of her response; Jack took several steps back, trying to escape that gaze.

"You can see why I was a little confused" he said, "Why would an assassin, who I hired to kill you, be keeping under his protection an escapee? And why would you be travelling with a man who has been paid to kill you and your friends?"

Jack couldn't suppress the horror on her face. There was no way she could bluff her way out of this. Riddick was now in as much danger as she was. Dr Redman was sure to send other assassins after him. The only consolation was that Imam had not been in the picture, he at least was safe.

Dr Redman got to his feet and walked around his desk, crossing his arms over his chest, "Audrey, I am not a patient man. I want answers. Who is this Vinnie? And why were you travelling with him?"

Jack's eyes darted abot the room, trying to find somewhere to escape, but she was trapped and with no way out. And no matter where she looked she could not avoid those cold deathlike eyes.

Her mind went to work, trying to develop a good excuse, she rubbed her scalp again and felt the sharp stubble, and suddenly she had an answer, "I-I was hitching a ride, I didn't know who he was, and he thought I was just a homeless boy called Jack" she replied as convincingly as she could.

Dr Redman lifted his nose into the air as if calculating her answer. She did too, trying to find any flaws with what she had said, but either way you looked at it her answer wasn't far-fetched at all. But it seemed the Dr Redman found some flaws.

"And why would a deadly assassin give two shits about a homeless boy called Jack?" he asked with a hint of humour in his voice. Jack tried to keep a straight face, her brain working over time, trying to find an answer.

"W-Well, I-I paid him" and with that she had sealed her own fate.

Dr Redman smiled and Jack felt cold. She was in trouble now.

"Ignoring the fact that you even had enough money to afford passage off word considering you were 'homeless', why on earth would you pay someone to take you here?"

Jack scowled, he knew perfectly well she didn't have a answer for that, but he was just enjoying dragging out of the torture, something he did very well.

"What do you want from me?" she replied after another long silence.

Dr Redman shifted, "I want to know who that man is, I want to know where he is now and I want to know why you came back here," he said with a dangerous, demanding edge to his tone.

Jack shivered, God this man was scary, she thought. But then she recalled Riddick's own dangerous eyes and how over the months he looked upon her not with the usual contempt or annoyance, but with genuine care and affection.

He kept me around because he wanted me, she thought, and a light seemed to fill her being and warmth returned to her heart. For once in her life, someone wanted her around, but because she wasn't used to that feeling, she didn't recognise it until just now, just when she was looking at Dr Redman who possessed the same evil stare Riddick had once owned.

She felt foolish and selfish. How could she have run away from Riddick? He would have protected her, removed her from danger, but she had run right into the arms of the enemy. She had abandoned him when she needed him most. If she weren't so stubborn she would have seen this, but now it was too late, now she would probably never see him again. But her last act on this world would not be to give him up; she would never reveal to Dr Redman where Riddick was, or who he was. She would hold true to him.

Confident, she starred back at Dr Redman, and suddenly he wasn't all that scary. She could beat him, "I'm not gonna tell you shit!" she snapped angrily.

Dr Redman looked momentarily taken back, a sight that Jack revelled in before his lips twitched into that disgusting smirk.

"Then you have just sealed your own fate," he said dangerously quietly. And with that he leaned over his desk and struck a button. The office door swung open and the guards entered, tapping their batons on their thighs.

"Men" he spoke, but his eyes were still on Jack, "Take Audrey back to the population"

Jack felt a powerful hand grip her shoulder painfully, but she refused to show it hurt.

"We have a busy day tomorrow, Audrey. You're going to tell me what I want to know, and I think you remember how far I'm willing to go to extract that information from you" he smirked again.

Jack gulped, but was thrust out of the room and marched once more down the pearly white corridors.

**-oOo-**

**pyro-freak - Thanks mate, loving the kudos!**

**shamrock920 - Hey, nice to know the quality of my work is still consistant.**

**Death by Teacup - I love your review!**

**Foracious23 - I haven't really worked out what Imam is going to say to Riddick when or if he find him. Kinda working on it but it will be up soon.**

**Amita4ever - This is the best review by far! Thanks for letting me know how you think Imam is developing. It's hard to keep him law-abiding with all this law-breaking going on, but telling a little white-lie is probably something we can over look! I agree, the whole Chrislam thing is a bit of a stretch to follow, so I'm trying to not get too involved in explaining the dynamics of it. Enjoy!**

**Blueberri304 - Wow, back to school. Have fun! Thanks for catching up with me o' fic. Still loyal I see, appriciate it!**

**A/N: Loads of really wonderful reviews! I'm loving it, keep at it!**

**A/N 2: RIGHT PEOPLE. I NEED FEEDBACK, ANYTHING YOU THINK I COULD ADD, ANYTHING YOU WANT REVEALED, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY. I'M NOT GOING TO ADD ANOTHER CHAPTER UNTIL I GET AT LEAST 5 MORE REVIEWS. I'M SERIOUS! PEACE OUT.**


	25. Strong survival Instincts

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Strong survival Instincts**

**-oOo-**

Riddick spat angrily on the ground, he had been pacing up and down the same patch of land for a good twenty minutes and still had no idea what to do.

He had never before been so conflicted, never had he constantly been thinking of anyone other then himself, but now all he could see was her, her wide welcoming smile and her bright eyes.

Jack was both a blessing and burden. He hadn't slept one wink since he saw off the bakery lady. She had reacted in just the same way as the other one, but finally it registered that she was in great danger and she took his advise and left within ten minutes after diving her fist into he register and fishing out as many credits she could.

After she had left, Riddick had checked the surrounding area, trying to find signs of anyone who might be following him, but he couldn't smell out any intruders. His targets were safe.

The reality of the situation made Riddick sick to his stomach. He was being paid to kill these people, people he didn't know or care about. But instead he was risking everything to save their asses. He couldn't comprehend how this could happen. He could only be grateful that they did not realise that he was in fact Riddick. At least Richard B had the dignity of dying a murderous criminal. Vinnie was a pussy compared to him.

And now he had nowhere to go. Shit, of course he never had anywhere to go, that was how he used to live his life. But now, he felt lost and somehow tied to this planet, loathed to remain and even more so to leave. But he knew what kept him, what stopped him from just stealing some shuttle and heading out for a new life.

God damn Jack. That lying bitch was more trouble then she was worth. She had burrowed a hole so deep into his heart that to remove her seemed like instant death. He hadn't even thought he had a heart. He remembered back to T2, when Fry had caught him trying to leave without the others, what had she said?

_There must be some part of you that wants to rejoin the human race?_

He thought the idea was crap back then, back when he didn't care. But it was when he first started to feel, started to feel for the struggle Fry was going through to protect those she had promised to. Back when he was a fucking animal, living day-to-day killing and stealing just to survive. He thought he had everything he needed, but he was so wrong. That void had been filled by a little girl, who by now was not so little, and all of a sudden she was snatched away. Taken by some secret, a secret so big she deemed it necessary not to tell the one person who cared about her more then anything.

Riddick cracked his knuckles at the thought. Cared? It didn't fit him at all, but Jack was the personification of Riddicks feelings. She was a part of him now and as a part of him, he had protected her, but now she was gone, and he felt suddenly broken and alone.

"Fuck" he snapped angrily, hauling the robe he wore low across his face as rain began to seep from the clouds for the fifth time that day.

**-oOo-**

The heavy rain and thick fog made it hard for Imam to see where he was going. But ahead he could still see the fog lights of the dented couch making its way to his own destination. Carefully he decended slightly, trying to keep up but remain hidden. The map lay at Imam's side, useless as he could no longer see any of the landmarks Mr Wilkins had jotted down for him. It was by some miricle that he had caught sight of the couch expressing it's destination to Rebonic, the small town where Moria was supposedly living.

Nervously he wiped the sweat from his brow and gripped the throttle tighter under his moist palms.

He prayed that Riddick was still there, he prayed that he would see sense, he prayed that Jack was alright. But what if Riddick refused to help Jack? What if he had already gone and Imam had no way of finding him? How was he supposed to help Jack then? It didn't bear thinking about. No, this was his only hope, he had no other option. He couldn't fight his way into the place to save her, he would end up dead or worse he would be exposed to the terrible fate of all the inmates. He recalled the expression on Wilkins face, the look of horror as he remembered all the terrible things he had been through.

Imam felt his resolve return and he squinted through the fog.

**-oOo-**

Jack's head hit the ground hard as the muscular thick-necked guard tossed her into the mess-room. For a few seconds she caught the attention of the nearest inmates, on seeing that she was no threat, they returned to their business.

After the stars faded, Jack felt a pair of hands grab the back of her shirt and haul her up to her feet. Kyra came into view as she snapped her fingers in front of her face. Jack pushed her hand to the side.

"I'm cool, don't worry" she muttered, nursing her sore head as she made her way to the opposite wall, as far away from the guards as she could get.

Kyra slowly followed and sighed loudly as she slide down the wall to join Jack as she perched, her head on her knees. Jack felt her presence and was somewhat grateful for it, it was something Riddick might do.

_Damn it!_ She thought, _I can't stop thinking about him, even though I'll never see him again_.

Jack lifted her head and saw Kyra picking the dirt from under her nails. An apparent habit she had. She felt a small smile tug at her lips. She was surprised to find someone that had come from such a privileged childhood could seem so relaxed in a life like this. Jack wondered when she first encountered the real world, when she realised she would have to work to live day by day. It must have been terrible, Jack grew up without anything, and she didn't have anything to miss. No parents, no money, no home and no friends.

Jack couldn't help liking her; she was almost a mirror image of herself, but Kyra had had such an interesting life, she had come from a famous family, she had encountered danger and survived. Many people knew about her family's tragedy, it was her legacy to the world. Sure, not one she would be proud about, but there was something of her that would remain in the universe after she died. Jack however, had nothing. No fifteen minutes of fame, nobody to look for her or write about her interesting life. The only one who knew about her adventures were Riddick and Imam and they were unlikely to share anything. Riddick was supposed to be dead and Imam wanted to forget T2 more then anything.

Jack looked at Kyra and made a choice, if she was going to die, she was going to at least leave some imprint of herself in this cruel universe.

"Kyra, have you ever heard of an assassin called Riddick B Riddick…?"

**-oOo-**

**Melissa - Thanks for the message!**

**Amita4ever - You know I haven't begin to think how that one might work out. I was thinking though, maybe Jack should be the one to finish Redman, and that's when she gets her first taste of blood. She has more cause to kill Redman then Riddick, and I can't really see Redman putting up much of a fight against Riddick. I mean really! One punch and the weedy doctor would be down and out!**

**BatPhace - Aww, hallo again, been missing you! I think I might have some horrible things in store for Jack before Riddick makes his damn mind up!**

**angelwingz21 - Wow! Capital letters, this must be serious! Thanks mate.**

**A/N : Glad to see some new reviewers amoung the old and loyal ones. But keep it up! 5 reviews a chapter please, it's my fuel!**


	26. Dancing on Razor Blades

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

**Dancing on Razor Blades**

**-oOo-**

"That shit is way heavy" Kyra replied after hearing Jack's long-winded tale of death, monsters and assassins.

Jack nodded, "So now you know why I'm here" she replied, her throat dry and her eyes moist from recalling the deaths of those she had come to call her friends.

_Fry, Shazza_. She bowed her head.

"And Riddick is the guy they hired to kill you?" Kyra asked amazed, "Fuck! That's a total mind blow," she added.

Jack leaned her head back, remembering the faces of all those Riddick had killed, spread out on the bed of the motel.

"Yeah. Thing is he didn't kill me" she said, looking over at Kyra, "So what the hell does that mean?" she asked, more to herself then anything.

"Does it matter now? He's out of your life" Kyra replied, "But I think you should have told him the truth. Not that it means shit now that your back here"

"Yeah, thanks" she mumbled. But Kyra was right though. Now that she was back in the belly of the beast and had faced Dr Redman after all these years, she knew that to trust Riddick with this one secret was a small price to pay. He deserved that at least. And maybe if she had told him, he would have helped her save the other escapees and maybe even release everyone in here now. But she shook her head, there was no way Riddick would have agreed to help her break into the hospital, but at least she would be free and not back in this prison.

Jack sighed, wondering what Riddick was doing now. He was probably a good few light years away from Zathos, Jack just a distant memory. He was probably better of without her tagging along like an excited puppy. He didn't have to look out for her anymore, wasn't that what he wanted?

"Redman's going to kill me" Jack muttered. Kyra looked over at her new friend.

"He's gonna kill all of us sooner or later, Jack. Don't think you're so popular" she smirked, tugging at strands of her hair.

"No" she sighed, "I mean he knows I was travelling with Riddick, or Vinnie" she added, Kyra dropped the hair in her hands and looked at Jack with a solemn look on her face.

Jack knew what she meant by it, "He's going to torture me until I tell him everything I know about him. And then he's going to kill him and me" she finished, looking down in her lap. She felt the soothing presence of a hand on her shoulder, reassuringly massaging it.

"I'm really sorry, Jack" she said seriously, "But if you want my advise. Tell Dr Redman everything. If Riddicks half the man you say he is, he'll survive. But at least you won't stretch out your own death" she added.

Jack could almost laugh at the despair she was feeling right now. She have never felt so helpless and it was worse knowing that she was going to die, it was just the waiting and deciding whether or not that her last act in this universe was to slave Riddick out.

**-oOo-**

Imam felt his heart pounding in his chest as he ran through the narrow streets of the town. His eyes frantically darted to every crevis or hole that Riddick could be finding shelter in. He was forced to pull his robes up over his ankles to stop the mud from dragging him down and the clouds above him only threatened more rain.

He couldn't stop the innocent face of Jack from popping inside of his head, but the thought of the poor girl in pain spurred him on and faster as he slipped and slid across the muddy path.

"Please Allah! Please point me in his direction" he prayed as he panted.

The streets were empty except for the occasional beggar sitting on the side of the street holding their grubby palms out to Imam as he ran past. But he had no time for them, there was a girl who needed his help more.

His eyes darted to an old rotting signpost that stood at a junction. He read the right road led to some sort of museum, the road right ahead led to the local law enforcement and to the left the road led to an assortment of shops but more importantly a SpacePort.

With new gustow, Imam stormed down the road, all dignity throw to the cold winds as he began calling the name of the assassin.

**-oOo-**

Riddick felt reborn as he stood haggling the price of a Eastborne space shuttle at the small SpacePort.

He reverted back to his goggles, which he had stored all this time in the back of his trousers. But he continued to wear the cape around his shoulders to prevent the rain from soaking his clothes.

At some point through his moment of confusion he decided that the only way he could figure out which path to take, Riddick would have to be back in control. His hard cold logic told him to buy a ship and get the hell of Zathos and leave his old life behind him.

The man before him, a weedy slip of a male with scraggly black hair on his head and face, had finally agreed on a price for the Eastborne. It was far less than the shuttle was worth, but Riddick's intimidating glare and domineering posture had convinced the man to be more generous with his haggling.

With a bitter look, the man handed over the keys and wished Riddick a safe journey. Riddick hardly thought his words were sincere, but he smirked and walked over to the warehouse, storing all the spacecraft for sale.

The SpacePort was hardly as impressive as Hawthorne, but for a shitty backward city, it wasn't all that bad. The large warehouse housed all shuttles for sale, and another small bunker style building next to it served as the waiting room for all commercial passengers waiting to be taxied off the planet.

Riddick waltzed in the direction the salesman pointed him, and he eventually found the Eastborne shuttle. It was in no better shape then the Bluebird, and it only sat two people, but considering it was now only Riddick, he had no problem.

After a quick inspection to make sure it was still space worthy, he grabbed his travelling bag and hauled it into the passengers' side door before throwing himself into the pilots seat. He started the engine, flicked a few switches and looked at the navigation system to find a path to his next destination.

As his finger trailed over the planets the computer was showing him, he felt a sudden twinge of something in the pit of his stomach. It was the feeling someone got when they had forgotten something. He pushed it to the side of his mind as she traced a course to the next habitable planet, which turned out to be a small world called Helis. He had heard of it before, it was quite a popular retreat for politics and other powerful influences in the universe because of its rich sandy beaches and high advances in technology that allowed the holidaymaker to spend more time relaxing then anything else.

Riddick smiled to himself, the perfect place to pick a few pockets and live in the lap of luxury for a few days. Shit, he deserved it after all the crap he had been through.

Riddick made his launch sequence and made sure all systems were working before he carefully lifted the throttle so the shuttle lifted about a foot into the air. He was satisfied with its handling, it wasn't too sluggish or slow with his commands. It was quite a reliable little shuttle.

Slowly he turned the shuttle towards the exit of the warehouse and a siulette of a man in robes stood in the doorway, waving his hands frantically to get his attention.

Riddick frowned and moved the shuttle towards the exit, hoping to intimidate the person to get out of the way. But he began to run towards the shuttle and was seemingly shouting something that the engines prevented Riddick from hearing.

With one flick of a finger, the searchlight perched under the shuttle blared through the shadows and drowned the man in its glare.

_Déjà vu_, Riddick thought, as the man lowered his hands to reveal the sweaty face of Imam the Holy Man.

**-oOo-**

Imam felt the relief in his heart as the shuttle slowly returned to the ground. He had almost had a heart attack as he saw the large man climb into the shuttle and begin to take off. He had screamed himself hoarse, but he gotten the assassins attention and could finally allow himself to breath deeply in relief.

But as Riddick got out of the shuttle, he instantly noticed the flash of anger and murderous rage show in those eyes as he lifted his goggles from his face.

He harshly seized the front of Imam's robes and hauled him out of view of the people walking across the airfield. Imam grunted as Riddick slammed his back painfully against the wall.

"Riddick!" Imam cried, trying to unclenched the fists on his robes.

"Shut the fuck up, Holy Man!" he growled, "Why the fuck are you here?"

Imam's mind suddenly went blank as he tried to recall the reason he was indeed there. The anger that boiled in those eyes was enough to make anyone quake and quiver, but he resolved himself as the face of Jack appeared once more in front of him.

"Jack's in danger" he breathed, "Some men took her back to that building"

Riddick's mouth pursed and his eyes searched Imam's own brown ones, "And why the fuck would I care?" he said.

Imam couldn't believe what he was hearing, "It's Jack, Riddick! She's in danger, of course you care" he added desperately.

"She chose her own path, Holy Man. Now I'm going my own way. Deal with it" he snapped.

Imam shook his head, "I cannot believe you, Riddick. I can see the love you have for her and her for you. Surely you cannot abandon her to her fate at the hands of a madman?"

"I don't give a shit. I only give a damn about one person. Me!" he growled.

Imam wasn't having any of it, "And what of Mr Wilkins? For letting him live your life is forfeit, but you let him go" he said.

Riddick pulled away from the man, releasing his grip on his robes, but he remained silent. Imam could almost see the internal battle he was waging.

"I got enough credits to get me anywhere I want, didn't see no point in the hassle" he snarled, but they both knew it was utter bullshit.

Imam looked sadly at Riddick and sighed, "For once Riddick at least admit to yourself that you've finally slipped back into the fringes of humanity. You can still be Riddick, but also a friend as well. Jack's in danger, I came to find you to help get her out of that place before they kill her. I know you'll do the right thing, because, dare I say it, when it comes to Jack, you always do" he added.

Riddick starred at him, the buzzing of his conscious making him dizzy.

_Fuck_, he thought, _I really am a pussy_.

**-oOo-**

**angelwingz21 - Yeah, sorry about the short chapter. I wanted to take a break from the heavy long chapters and have an insight into what's going on with everyone at that moment.**

**pyro freak - Ah, sorry but you'll have to hang on for a while! I'm going to be a real bitch and not tell you. Muah ha ha!**

**anime-catdragon - Sorry for my speedy fingers! I will be chilling out a little bit coz of the new fanfic I'm writing as well. In regards to your questions, tough shit I ain't talking! You'll have to wait to the see the answers, but I will say that Kyra does get revenge on someone. Can you guess who?**

**Amita4ever - Sorry, didn't update as soon as I'd like to. That review did make me laugh though! Yeah things are slowly coming together as I get nearer the end of the story.**

**A/N: Again, I'm getting a shit load of hits but not a lot of reviews - awesome as they are! Please, please give me a review as soon as you've read it! Those people who have put me on their alerts are especially targets for my rage if I find I have none!**


	27. Somebody's gonna get Hurt

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

**Somebody's gonna get Hurt**

**-oOo-**

Another reason Jack hated the hospital so was the fact that there was no way to find out what time of day it was. There weren't even windows in the building to let you know if it was day or nighttime. The only assistance you got was when a shrill alarm sounded, telling them that every inmate should go back to their Battery Dormitory.

Jack only assumed she was to sleep in her old Dormitory, her theory strengthened when she saw Kate up ahead turn into the Dormitory for Battery Six. Her old Battery.

Kyra waved at her new friend and headed off down another corridor towards her own Dormitory joining the surge of zombie-like inmates.

As she was about to turn into the room, she nearly walked head first into a guard who seemed to have been waiting for her. In his large hands were another uniform, identical to the one she had on.

The bushy browed guard snarled, "These are your clothes for tomorrow. I'm sure I don't have to remind you of the procedure" he sneered.

Jack glared, "No, sir" she almost spat, but succeeded in holding back the venom. The guard sneered and walked off.

With a sigh, Jack walked into the Dormitory, horrible and sickening memories coming back to her. She glanced over to her old bed, which was now occupied by an elderly woman. It seemed the Battery had grown in numbers since last time. There were only about twenty of them before, now there seemed to be near thirty-five.

The only spare bed was located at the end of the room, so Jack walked towards it, uncomfortable aware of the stares she was getting, and especially the murderous one for Kate. Jack was keen to see if any of her other 'old friends' were still here, but she was trying not to draw attention to herself, and they would probably only hold her in the same contempt as Kate did.

Jack threw her fresh clothes on the end of her new bed and pulled the scratchy sheets down over the bed and fluffed the pillow. The alarm finally fell silent as she tried to snuggle as close to the thin sheets as she could, but she remembered always being cold in bed, unless she had been tortured, then she had only the pain to occupy her mind.

"Lights out!" A guard shouted from the door, and with that the lights cut out, leaving Jack blinking in the impenetrable darkness. She listened to herself breathing for a moment or two and then she began to hear the others around her do the same. Too terrified to leave their beds or talk to their neighbour.

That was the way it was. Fear, everywhere, even in your sleep. Jack gulped, finding her resolve fading fast.

_God!_ She thought, _I need to get out of here. I just can't live here again until Redman finally kills me._

Finally she fell into an uneasy and unnatural sleep, her mind a sea of scalpels, blades and her own blood.

**-oOo-**

The inmates of Battery Six were woken by the alarms. With no hesitation, everyone got out of their uncomfortable beds with little fuss and absolutely no complaints. Like zombies they all grabbed their extra uniforms from the end of their messy beds and lined up at the door.

Jack dragged herself to the end of the queue, behind a young male with spiky black hair. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and waited as a guard unlocked the Dormitory door and ordered them to march to the shower rooms.

The room itself was little more then a large space the size of half a tennis court. A large drain hole stood at one end, plastic sheeting preventing water from splashing up the walls, and on the other a bench where the inmates left their dry clothes.

Jack was a little more nervous to stripping down in front of an audience, as the last time she had, she had been nothing to look at. But now all the curves and bumps she hated were bare for all to see.

Again, the inmates lined up, naked and cold as one by one they walked in-between the plastic sheeting, above the drain hole and a guard dressed in a waterproof suit doused each of them in turn with freezing water from a powerful hose.

Jack almost screamed as the water hit her, making her feel as if the skin had been peeled from her bones, but she pursed her mouth and shaking, she moved aside for the next inmate and struggled through the cold to put her clothes back on.

Once they were all wet and dressed, the inmates were marched once more the mess room where they lined up for their gruel and a slice of stale bread.

Jack took her miserable breakfast to the far corner and crouched down, trying to disappear all together. She watched as other Batteries entered the mess room, collected their food and wandered off into their little social groups for the remained of the day until their were called off to be tested or tortured.

Jack waited where she sat for Kyra, but it was a good while since the rest of the Batteries had entered before her new friend arrived, and she was sporting a very painful black eye.

After she gathered her breakfast, she walked over to Jack and slumped beside her with a sigh.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Jack asked in no more then a whisper.

Kyra looked at her side long, "Garfield's fist happened to me. Bastard tried to rape me again," she explained shovelling the gruel into her mouth.

Jack was in awe of this strong female sitting next to her. She talked about her attack as if it meant nothing, but then she thought that perhaps for Kyra, this was almost a daily exercise, so of course she would see it as nothing important.

"I hope you gave him one to match yours" Jack forced a smile, pointing to her black eye.

"Oh" Kyra laughed, "It ain't any eye on his face that got a beating" she winked.

Jack wasn't entirely sure what she meant but laughed aloud anyway before forcing down the last spoonful of gruel down her throat and pushing the bowl away.

Silently the two girls sat side by side in comfortable silence until Kyra looked questionably over to Jack.

"Which would you say is worse, Jack? This place or that planet with all those monster-things, you know, T-whatever?" Kyra asked.

Jack knew the answer immediately, but she had heard the tone in Kyra's voice that was asking to imagine a place that could be worse then the one she was in.

"T2" Jack lied, "I still have nightmares about that place" she said. Though that wasn't true either. Since Riddick had mentioned Zathos, the memories of T2 were only a distant memory that felt almost as if it had never happened.

"And you don't have nightmares about this place?" Kyra asked. Jack looked over to her.

"Shit yeah. But there, you had to be on your guard all the time. And not just against the monsters, the people you were with were looking to slaughter you if it benefited them" she said, angrily thinking of Johns.

Kyra shrugged, "You're talking shit, Jack" she smiled, "Ain't no place worse then this" she said.

"So why did you ask?"

"To see if you would try to bullshit me to make me feel better about my fate" she smiled.

Jack smiled back, "Yeah. Sorry" she replied.

"Don't worry about it. Appreciate it. I just wish we'd met on the outside Jack. We could have done great things together," she said.

Jack looked at Kyra and saw the dreamy look on her face, but behind the brightness of her eyes, she saw the hint of darkness that told her she knew it would never happen.

"Yeah" Jack said, "So we'll just have to settle for watching each others backs in here"

Kyra nodded, "Team" she nodded.

"Team" Jack agreed.

**-oOo-**

Not long after Jack and Kyra's heart-to-heart, Kyra was called away with her Battery, leaving Jack alone and suddenly cold again. It was amazing the comfort that Kyra provided Jack, but she felt vulnerable and dependant, which made her angry.

She sat at one of the empty benches, awaiting Kyra's return and often lifted her eyes to the crowd around her. She saw Timmy sitting with another boy his own age, chatting quietly, but it seemed as though he was fitting in. Kate was laughing with two other girls at another bench, completely oblivious to Jack's stare.

It was then that a large shadow crossed over her, Jack looked up and saw the thick-necked guard starring down at her.

"You're instructed to come with me, C132. Now" he said gruffly.

Jack got to her feet and walked towards the exit of the Mess room, with the guard closely behind her. Once out, the guard roughly grabbed her arm and hauled her down corridor after corridor until finally they stood outside a pair of metal swing doors. Jack's eyes widen as she saw the label handing above the door 'Operating Theatre #2'

"No" Jack whispered, but before she could tried to wrestle herself free of the guards grip, he yanked her through the doors into the painfully bright room, occupied by a scary looking chair, accessorised with an overhead light and arms holding tools of all kinds.

Two other people occupied the room. Two men dressed in eggshell green suits and facemasks over their mouths and noses. The smell of antiseptic stung her nose and memories of being cut into and exposed to the worst pain flooded back.

"No!" she screamed louder, "Don't!" she tried to flee the room, but the guard used both his arms to haul Jack, almost off her feet, towards the surgeons.

One of them reached for a syringe on the operating chair and stepped closer to Jack who was livid with fear and tried with all her might to break free from the guards' vice-like grip.

"Please! No!" she screamed as the surgeon grabbed her arm and tried to put the needle into the soft skin between her forearm and upper arm.

"Shut the fuck up!" the guard snapped and hit Jack across the back of her head. In the moment she was stunned, the surgeon pierced the flesh of her arm with the needle and injected her with the clear fluid.

Jack tried to pull her arm away, but it was too late. Already she was growing weary from the serum as the surgeons took Jack's arms and led her away from the guard and towards the chair.

"No!" she wheezed. Stars still flashing in front of her eyes from the blow to the back of the head.

"Advise Dr Redman we are ready for him" One of the surgeons told the guard, who nodded and left the room.

Jack tried to shake the fatigue out of her system, but only succeeded in blurring her vision more.

"Just calm down C132" the surgeon who had injected her said.

She would have laughed had the situation been different. How could she be calm knowing she was about to be tortured?

"Fuck…" she slurred and tried to move her arms, but the surgeons beat her too it and pinned them to the chair's arm, fastening them tightly. They moved down and did the same with her feet.

"Was Dr Redman specific about the procedure?" one of the surgeons asked the other.

"He said to administer as much pain as possible without resulting in the patient losing consciousness. I think he wants to dig something out of her," he explained.

_Pain?_ Jack thought, _not again_.

Tears blurred her vision and her heart felt as though it was going to leap out of her chest. She could no longer move, but she could feel every part of her anatomy. She felt the scratchy restraints on her bare ankles; she could feel the air from the ducts brushing across her skin.

_'Administer as much pain as possible without resulting in the patient losing consciousness'_

Those words repeated themselves over and over again in her mind, until finally she heard someone else's voice. A voice she despised more then anything.

"So Audrey. I told you this was going to get messy. All you have to do it tell me what I want to know" Dr Redman asked. His face appeared above Jack. His visage swimming in front of her as a result of the drugs.

"F-fuck you," she breathed.

Dr Redman chuckled, "How very colourful, Jack. But I'm sure you will be more cooperative. If you want the pain to stop," his voice echoed around Jack. She saw him nod at one of the surgeons. He moved forward and typed a commanded into a small touch screen computer attached to the chair.

A needle as thick as a pencil came up through the chair arm and pierced right through Jack's arm, just above the wrist.

Jack screamed as the excruciating pain consumed all her senses. She tried to move, but the jarring movement of trying to free her arm caused the needle to rip more of the flesh, resulting in more pain.

Jack's screams turned to desperate sobs as she tried to expel the pain from her mind, but it was there, just as Dr Redman's face was hovering over hers.

"I ask again, Audrey. Where is the assassin? Who is he?" he demanded.

Jack breathed deeply, hocked back some saliva and spat it right into the man's smug face. The man growled and retrieved a towel to wipe the mess off his face. He looked at the surgeon.

"Again!" he spat.

Jack closed her eyes, hoping to shut out the pain, but another needle tore through her right arm. Jack yelled and almost choked on her tongue as she hollered in agony.

_God!_ She thought, _please take me now! I want to die!_

Kyra's words floated through her head. She had told Jack to sell Riddick out, instead of prolonging her own death. Right now she wanted nothing other then to stop the pain that numbed her whole body. But she couldn't bring herself to speak the words that would seal Riddick's fate.

"Tell me!" Dr Redman growled, "Who is he?"

Jack was breathing deeply, feeling as though she was foaming at the mouth, hating the man before her more and more with each passing second.

"NEVER!" she yelled in his face.

Dr Redman sighed, "You disappoint me" then he turned to the surgeons and nodded again.

It seemed almost hours had passed since Jack had been hauled out of the mess room, but finally after the longest forty minutes of her life, Jack was bandaged and thrown back into the population.

Jack's arms had been wrapped in gauze up to the elbow. They had pierced her three times on each arm before they had given up and agreed to start again the next day.

She had been dragged back down the corridors, her head lolling and her eyes rolling into the back of her skull. The sedative was beginning to wear off and she was able to move some of her fingers, but she was hardly sure of where she was when she was thrown roughly onto the tiled floor.

As she lay there, images flashed before her eyes. All those moments with Riddick and Imam. How she awoke from her frightening dreams to see Riddick watching over her. The way he looked at her when she said something that amused him. The way he defended himself against Imam when he accused him of not being able to take care of Jack. Yes, she had heard that, despite being told to go to bed. She worshiped Riddick more then ever at that point. Now here she was, paying the price for that loyalty.

Jack became away that someone was pulling her across the floor; she opened her eyes and saw the feet of inmates slowly passing her as she was moved alongside the wall of the mess room. Her head was placed onto someone's lap.

Kyra. The contact comforted her beyond words and she finally allowed the tears of the last forty minutes to spill down her cheeks.

Jack heard her comforter clear their throat. And was surprised to hear a male voice rather then female.

"Who?" she mumbled.

"It's alright Jack" came a voice. She was surprised as she recognised it.

"Tim?" she breathed.

"Yeah" he replied, almost disinterested.

"But…" she mumbled.

"Just shut up will you!" he replied, though there wasn't any anger in his voice, only exasperation.

Jack pursed her mouth and slipped into a peaceful quiet as her wounds continued to throb, until finally she was able to move herself off of Tim's lap and sit beside him.

"So what the fuck happened to you?" Tim asked

Jack stifled a laugh despite the pain throbbing through her arms, "Just one of Dr Pricks sick games to let me know who's boss" she replied.

"Seriously?" Tim asked, his eyes wide as he leaned on his knees.

"I know the identity of someone who back-stabbed Redman" Jack said.

Tim raised an eyebrow, "And who the fuck would be stupid enough to do that?"

Jack looked at him, "If you valued your life, you wouldn't ask me. I've already put you in enough shit, I don't want to be responsibly for putting you through this" she said, raising her arms.

Tim nodded. Jack dropped her head, "I really am sorry, Tim. For everything I put you through. I'll understand if you hate me, I just hope you can accept my apology," she said.

Tim leant his head back against the wall, "Well, if you'd stayed out of my fucking shop I'd probably be halfway to another galaxy by now. But at least I made one true friend before I died" he said.

Jack smiled, "Glad to know that" she added, her eyes averted to the mess room door, where about a dozen people all soaking wet and looking downcast walked in and separated themselves amongst the crowd.

Kyra spotted Jack and slung her wet hair over her shoulder, rubbing her arms to hold in the warmth. She sat down beside Jack and shivered involuntarily.

"What the hell happened to you?" Jack asked.

"They wanted to see how long we could last under water" Kyra mumbled, "Our minimum time was three minutes"

"How long did you last?" Tim asked from over Jack's shoulder.

"Three and a half" Kyra answered, "George only lasted two" she added sadly.

Jack lowered her head, "Sorry Kyra" she said.

"Yeah, well. Shit happens in this place," she answered, eying Tim curiously.

"Oh yeah, right. Kyra this is Tim, Tim this is Kyra" she said. Tim and Kyra nodded politely to one another, then Kyra looked down at Jack's bandaged arms.

"So what the fuck happened to you?" she asked.

Jack sighed.

**-oOo-**

**Amita4ever - Wow! I got my wrist well and truly slapped. You are right of course, it is just about the writing, but it's nice to get some imput, every now and again. Thanks for the comments, good and bad!**

**Blueberri304 - As the story is nearing its end, it would make sense to tie up all the loose ends so that the story begins to make sense. Glad you are still enjoying the story. Keep reading!**

**Death by Teacup - Nothing to fret, Riddick is alive and well...obviously. I would be hunted by a torch wielding mob if I had killed Riddick off!**

**Death by Teacup - I was struggling about how to approuch that one! But glad you liked it all the same.**

**BatPhace - Well here is 27, just for you! Glad you haven't stopped reviewing all together. You've been with me since the beginning!**

**Votsan - Yep my spelling can suck quite a lot as I'm trying to hurry through each chapter to get to the end. I've already been planning Part II so I have been a bit negligant. Ah well! So sue me!...not really, I don't have any money!**

**A/N: Thanks again to all the peeps who have reviewed. Am off now to think up the next chapter! Peace out!**


	28. Deal with your own Fear

**Chapter 27**

**Deal with your own Fear**

**-oOo-**

Imam sat quietly besides Riddick in the Bluebird. He had felt a huge sense of relief when Riddick turned his silvery eyes to him and asked where the Bluebird was. His eyes nearly watered with the effort not to appear too relieved or make a big deal. It seemed that Riddick was on a very fine line, one with two sides, either he reverted back to his old ways, or he embraced the new caring Riddick. Evidently he had reluctantly chosen the latter, but it probably still pained him to think of the sacrifices he would have to make on Jack's behalf.

The sky was grey and thunder rumbled in the distance. Another huge knot of nervousness twisted in Imam's stomach. He had been so preoccupied with finding Riddick that he had no thought of what he would do when he did.

He would be expected to fight, no doubts about that. Of course he had issues with inflicting pain, but as long as his aggressors were working against Allah he would have to be forgiven.

Imam risked a glance in Riddick's direction. His face was stone hard as he squinted out into the fog. As always his face was unreadable, even though it was obvious he cared for Jack and probably the same thoughts and fears crept into his mind as they did Imam.

Riddick however could think of nothing now except getting to Jack. It was true, Imam had slapped some sense into him, even if he didn't want to admit it. He knew deep down he was only being stubborn, a part of him knew he would have found some reason to return to Zathos and find Jack, but he felt naked and vulnerable knowing that someone had a hold on him emotionally.

He remembered the look in Fry's face as she stood, pleading for him to help her save the others back on T2. He saw the conflict in her eyes, should she save herself? Or risk her life for someone else? She chose the latter; she made a choice, which effectively made her vulnerable. Riddick had planned to use that factor against her later on, once they had escaped T2. But then she died and that option was taken from him. But now he sympathised with her, he realised what a difficult and life-altering decision she had to make. Now he understood her motivation, and it was burning through his body like his blood. Someone had his Jack, someone was hurting her and he had had to make that decision, this time it wasn't only someone else challenging him, he was challenging himself, just as he had Fry.

_I guess you got your revenge Fry,_ he thought,_ I rejoined the human race after all, and to tell you the truth, it scares the shit out of me._

"So how were you planning on doing this, Holy Man. Knock on the door, preach your good will?" Riddick smirked, allowing the stone mask he was wearing to slip a little.

Imam starred at Riddick, "I must warn you Mr Riddick. I have little experience in breaking into highly secured secret facilities, but I hope I'm not being rude by suggesting you have a little experience?" he smiled.

Riddick smirked, "How did you know that?"

Imam shrugged, "Just a hunch" he added.

"I need to scope out the place first, find out how much man power they've got and if they're packing heat" he mumbled.

"And if they are?" Imam asked. Riddick looked sideways at him.

"Then I'll know not to knock on the front door" he replied.

Imam nodded and leaned back on the chair. _Oh Allah be with us_, he prayed, _Allah be with us all_.

**-oOo-**

Jack couldn't believe how she could have forgotten the pain from the last time she was as the hospital. Her arms throbbed and ached every which way she moved them, then they throbbed and ached when she didn't move them.

She stayed with Tim for most of the afternoon, Kyra had mysteriously vanished, by returned by what felt like two hours later, escourted by the beefy necked guard. She pulled her arm out of his grip and strolled over to them. Jack couldn't help noticing that she seemed to be avoiding her eye. But she shrugged it off and just enjoyed their company.

For the rest of the day, she relied on Kyra and Tim to help her off the ground and to help spoon the disgusting vegetable soup down her throat. Jack hated being helpless, especially in this place, but she was grateful at least for Kyra and Tim., both whom had become quite firm friends as the day progressed. Tim, like Jack, was in awe of Kyra's resilience and confidence while Kyra thought Tim had a lot of spirit and potential. Jack lay restlessly at their feet as they exchanged life stories; her eyelids grew heavy as their soothing voices finally sent her off into a fitful sleep.

_Fry stood in front of the Hunter/Gratzner, her body torn and bloodied, she reached out and tried to grab at Jack, her eyes alive with fear and her fingers clawing at the air. Jack saw that she was trying to say something, but the words refused to exit Fry's mouth._

_Before Jack could move, a long smooth horn exploded out of Fry abdomen, blood spraying over the golden sand. Jack gaped as Fry's body slumped and fell to the ground. But instead of one of creatures standing behind her, it was Riddick, holding a large shiv in one hand and smirking upon the corpse._

_Jack shook her head, Riddick looked up at her, "I couldn't save her Jack. Just like I couldn't save you," he said as he strode forward, lifting the shiv above his head, poised to strike._

"_Riddick, no!" she screamed, trying to run, but her feet stood firm in the sand._

"_I'm sorry Audrey" he said, lifting his goggles of his head, but instead of his shiny eyes, they were now a cold grey, "Just give me what I want" he added in a deep growl, very much unlike Riddick's usual deep boom._

"_Who are you?" Jack whispered._

"_Why, I'm your friend, Richard B Riddick" the man replied, but it was not Riddick's voice. This was educated and eloquent._

"_No you're not!" Jack screamed. 'Riddick' lashed out and grabbed her upper arm, and with the other, he tucked the shiv into his waistband and lifted his fingertips to his chin. Without hesitation he ripped the flesh from his face, Jack screamed but couldn't keep from looking at the morbid sight in front of her. Instead of blood and muscle, the face of Dr Redman appeared. The same cold grey eyes, the cool smile, the bristly moustache._

"_Tell me Audrey, where is he?" he whispered._

"_No! I won't tell you!" she screamed in Redman's face. The doctor scowled and began to shake her violently. Finally he slapped her across the face._

Jack awoke to the harsh stinging on her cheek. She looked around and saw herself flat on her back, eyes and heads turned in her direction.

Kyra and Tim were leaning over her, "You were having a nightmare" Kyra muttered, she looked up and saw the audience they had, "Hey! Why don't you all fuck off and mind your own business!" she shouted. Automatically the crowd dispersed and continued their previous conversations.

Jack felt the throbbing return to her arms as she fully awoke to her surroundings. She recalled the frowning faces starring down at her, desperately she looked to her friends, "I didn't talk in my sleep, did I?" she asked.

Kyra looked at Tim, "Just murmuring and shit, you did shout 'No' a few times though" she replied.

Jack groaned, relieved not to have shouted Riddick's name out in her sleep. That was the last thing she needed, gingerly she sat up and allowed Tim and Kyra to haul her to her feet, "I feel like shit," she mumbled.

"Join the club" Tim scoffed, and then the alarm sounded. Everyone began to bid farewell to their friends and headed to join their Batteries to return to their Dormitories. Tim rushed off with a wave over his shoulder, but Kyra stayed with Jack, helping her down the corridors until the intersection where Jack had to go straight and Kyra had to turn left forced them to separate. They smiled at one another and went their separate ways.

Jack risked a glance over at Kates' bed. She was just talking to the young girl who slept beside her when she caught her eye and scowled. Jack turned away and headed to her own bed, the covers still askew (they would be expected to sleep in the same sheets for a good few months before cleaners decided to replace them) she crawled under the sheets, trying not to touch anything with her sore forearms and lay uncomfortably on her back. She starred at a spot on the ceiling until the alarm silenced and the lights turned off.

She hated these hours where she was forced to lie by herself, thinking of everything that she had lost and would never see or experience again.

_Trees, grass, stars, the sun, the moon, cheeseburgers, rocks, television, hovercrafts, soft drinks, spacecrafts, ice cream, Imam…Riddick…Riddick._

Slowly and with some difficulty, she finally slipped back into unconsciousness.

**-oOo-**

Jack awoke with a start as the usual morning hubbub began again. After enduring the humiliation of showering in front of complete strangers (made even more embarrassing by having to lift her arms above her head to avoid the gauze on her arms getting damp) they finally filed out back into the mess room. Kyra was already there, leaning over a bowl of gruel in a world of her own.

Jack went to fetch her own breakfast and sat opposite Kyra which snapped her out of her daze, "How you feeling?" she asked, gulping down her food with some discomfort.

Jack shrugged, "Same old" she replied, but already a pit of bubbles was boiling in her stomach, was Dr Redman going to torture her today?

"Anymore dreams?" she asked. Jack frowned, she didn't think she did. Just distant memories that were still imprinted in her mind. She shrugged in reply to her question.

"I'm guessing you didn't tell them anything yesterday, Jack" Kyra asked, studying her spoon. Jack starred at her, mixing her gruel absently with her own spoon.

"No" she replied, "I couldn't do it, Kyra"

The other girl nodded, "Yeah, I didn't think you would" she replied.

"What do you mean?" Jack frowned.

Kyra dropped her spoon into her bowl with a clatter, "I mean what you know is a piece of pretty valuable information. If someone else found out what you know, Redman won't need you anymore" she replied.

"You're the only person I've told" Jack hissed, suddenly worried someone was listening to their conversation. Kyra looked at her.

"You mean you didn't tell Tim?" she asked shocked. Jack shook her head.

"I've put him in enough trouble as it is" she replied.

"Very noble of you" Kyra said, her eyes glanced to the mess room's doors behind Jack, "Heads up" she said.

Jack felt a presence behind her, "C132, get on your feet" a deep voice instructed.

Kyra gave Jack a sympathetic smile and watched as Jack was hauled out of her seat and frogmarched back to the operating room.

Again, pain like she had never experienced was inflicted on her again and again. The old wounds were reopened and the pain wanted Jack to beg for death. But she pictured Riddick and she pictured her new friends. She would do this for them, she would keep fighting.

Jack was sweating profusely when they finally gave up for the second time. Her head lolled to the side of the chair.

"Audrey? Can you hear me?" Dr Redman asked in a sickeningly sweet voice, "You're not going to win. Sooner or later, you will tell me what you know"

"Never!" Jack wheezed.

"Then maybe one of your friends might be a bit more cooperative" Dr Redman smiled. Jack's insides squirmed. What would he do to them?

"Even if they knew anything. They wouldn't tell you shit!" she replied, hoping to sound more confident then she felt.

Dr Redman removed his glasses, "Well, maybe if I give them the proper motivation, perhaps if I give them the one thing that all the inmates in here desire most of all"

Jack starred at him, a frown creasing her brow. With all her effort, she hocked back and spat in his face. To her satisfaction, the saliva sprayed across his glasses as well as his face, "I'm going to kill you" she growled.

Dr Redman starred at for a moment before removing his glances and standing to full height. The two surgeons starred at him, unsure of what he would do.

"Guard!" he called, cleaning his glasses on his white jacket.

The beef-necked guard returned and stood poised beside Dr Redman, "Yes sir?"

"C132 is not to be allowed any meals until I authorise it. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" he replied

"And I want a bucket of ice thrown onto her bed. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" he replied

"Get her out of my sight" he snarled.

Jack felt the restraints slacken and she was dragged painfully back to the population. Tim was there again to pick her up and drag her away from the curious stares, then she just lay there and allowed the pain to completely consume her.

"Is it really worth it, Jack? This secret you're keeping from Redman" he asked.

"It's worth my life" she replied, and she meant it. Riddick was her whole world, she could admit that now. She hadn't been tortured near to death for something she wasn't prepared to die for. You just didn't risk death for someone you hated, you didn't contend with the pain for someone you wanted dead.

Tim looked at Jack and couldn't help but admire her. As soon as she had stumbled in his shop, and he thought her a boy, he knew this was a brave person. It broke his heart to see her just as broken. Her face was paler, her eyes vacant and sad, her arms were awkward, the gauze badly tied and blood was seeping under the bandages and running down her fingers.

"Here" he offered and carefully he unravelled the bandages and tied them up the best he could. Jack smiled thankfully and lay her head back down on the floor.

Batteries Four and Twelve returned soon after Jack, but Kyra was no where in sight. Jack began to worry. Perhaps Redman had gotten to her; maybe he was interrogating her right now. But she knew that Kyra would never betray her confidence, but a nagging voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she didn't know Kyra all that well and perhaps telling her about Riddick had been a deadly mistake.

Dr Redman's voice began to echo in her mind '_maybe if I give them the proper motivation, perhaps if I give them the one thing that all the inmates in here desire most of all_'

Of course Jack knew what he meant by that. Freedom.

The mess room's door swung open and the guard shoved Kyra back into the population. She was scratching her arm and looking at the ground. Jack turned her head in her direction and saw all the symptoms of guilt.

"Oh God" Jack whispered.

Kyra had told Dr Redman everything.

**-oOo-**

**pottingshedpixie - lol, thanks for that, really made me chuckle! I was a bit worried about that ending, I didn't want to drop the character of Riddick and I wasn't sure if he would think something like that, but I wanted to add some humour and it is ironic coz even if he does have feelings for someone, he really isn't a pussy, he could still kick arse as hard as before!**

**pottingshedpixie - Thanks, I was surprised at how well the Kyra/Jack thing was accepted by my reviewers. It's hard to keep them seperate characters considering in the films they're one and the same.**

**angelwingz21 - Hope this was soon enough. I do try to get writing at least once a night, but it's tough when you got two horses, two dogs to look after! Plus I had to get my hair highlighted on tuesday after work and went to an Equine Podiatry lecture on thursday night. I didn't get home till about midnight so I was very tired the next day at work!**

**Amita4ever - Firstly, don't put yourself down! like me, I'm sure you get loads of hits but people just don't leave reviews, like you said, it aint everything! So don't get hypocritical on me! Secondly, I've got plans for Tim in the second part so I thought it important for him and Jack to become friends again.**

**Death by Teacup - Yeah I do like a bit of blood and gore every now again, by the way, your pen name is really cool!**

**MasterofPuppets666 - Ok! Scary person.**

**A/N : Just a heads up, folks. By parents are skipping the country for a week, so I'm mum for seven days to my little brothers. That means cooking, cleaning, washing and not to mention taking care of the pets, so don't be surprised if I don't update as quickly as usual. Peace out.**


	29. Once the Dying Starts

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**Once the Dying Starts**

**-oOo-**

As soon as the shock had worn off, an unimaginable wave of anger engulfed Jack's senses. All she saw in front of her was a traitor who had sent Riddick to his death. Despite the agony it caused, Jack pushed up off the ground and sprinted the length of the mess room until she was face to face with Kyra.

The girl looked up but didn't have time to avoid the fist as it collided with the side of her face. Kyra was thrown to the side and nearly toppled over, but she regained her balance and gripped her cheek.

Jack glared at her, breathing heavily with her rage.

"Ow!" Kyra cried, "What the _fuck_ did you do that for?!" she yelled, cradling her red face.

Jack was almost beside herself, "Don't even try to lie to me! I ain't no backward settler!"

Kyra just frowned and shook her head in disbelief, "Are you mental? I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, and that _frickin'_ hurt!" she wailed.

Jack screamed in frustration, "Don't lie!" she hollered and jumped towards Kyra, her bandaged arms swinging in all directions.

Kyra refused to fight back which angered Jack even more and she didn't relent until she felt a powerful grip on the back of her shirt rip her away from Kyra.

"No fighting in the population, C132" said the thick-necked guard, "You should know that by now" he chuckled, obviously quite amused with Jack swinging away at nothing but air.

"Fuck off, dick face!" Jack spat and tried to wrestle out of his grip, but his smirk faded fast and he kicked the back on her knees, sending her sprawling onto the ground next to Kyra.

"Right, I think isolation for _both_ of you bitches" he roared as he bent over, hauled both girls to their feet by the scruff of their shirts and marched them out of the mess room.

"Nice going, Jack!" Kyra said sarcastically as they were shoved down another corridor. Jack opened her mouth to retaliate but was instantly cut off by the guard.

"You shut your mouth," he snapped.

"You should have told her that before she spilled her guts to Redman!" Jack snarled.

"Listen, Jack! I don't know what the fuck you're talking about" she quipped back.

The guard silenced the pair by shaking them and threw Kyra up against the wall outside one of the Confinement rooms. She looked up at the guard.

"Wait, you're not putting us together are you? She's insane!" Kyra pointed to Jack.

The guard unlocked the door and smirked, "This bitch wants a piece of you, Kyra, and the guys are always up for watching a bit of a scrap" he said, pushing open the door and pointing towards the camera in the corner of the white room.

"Have fun" he sniggered and shoved both girls in, knocking Jack painfully to the ground.

The door closed behind them and Kyra backed up against it, her eyes nervously resting on Jack's back. The girl painfully got to her feet and turned to face Kyra, her eyes narrowed and her face she red with anger.

"Why did you do it?" she asked, in a dangerously quiet voice.

Kyra scoffed, "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about! I just got back from having my ass kicked about by Redman and then _you_ give me a second dose of crazy! What the hell is your problem?" she shrieked.

"My problem" Jack seethed, "Is that you back-stabbed me when I showed trust in you. You spilled to Redman! Don't you dare deny it, you told him everything about…" she gazed at the camera, "…about _you-know-who_!" she finished.

Realisation dawned on Kyra's face and to Jack disgust, began to chuckle.

"And what the fuck is so funny?!" Jack snapped, her fists clenching, ready to attack again. Kyra rubbed her forehead and her face suddenly dropped into seriousness.

"You really think I would betray you? Granted we haven't known each other long, but you really think I would backstab the one person who's ever showed even the slightest amount of trust in me" she asked, hurt echoing from her eyes that made Jack shrink back into herself, suddenly questioning her accusation.

"But…" she started, "But you looked so guilty"

Kyra slumped down onto one of the beds and cradled her head in her hands, after a long sigh she lifted her eyes to Jack, "I have to admit I did seriously consider it, you can't deny it was a _very_ tempting offer" she smiled sadly, "I guess he told you what he was offering?" she asked.

Jack dropped down on the opposite bed, her arms now throbbing terribly, "Yeah"

"I almost did you know" Kyra said, "But then I saw your face and it was the way you looked at me as soon as I went back to the mess room. I always thought that freedom was what I wanted most of all, but really there's nothing out there for me. Just an endless life of meaningless moments. I have no family and the only friend I have is right here" she said, eyeing Jack, "It's sounds as cheesy as hell, but I'd rather die knowing I'd made a friend who'd remember me once I'm gone, then have no legacy at all" she finished.

Jack sighed, allowing Kyra's words to sink into her tired mind, and it all made perfect sense. She felt utterly stupid and ashamed at her accusations and suddenly couldn't met her eye.

"I'm sorry, Kyra. I wasn't much of a friend, I should have given you a chance to explain yourself," she said in no more then a whisper.

"Yeah, we both wish you had" Kyra replied with a smile, soothing her sore cheek.

Jack smiled sheepishly, "Sorry about that" she said.

Kyra shook her head, "I've had worse, no problem. I would've hated to see what you'd have done if I had told him everything" she smiled and both girls began to giggle, happy that their friendship was now repaired. And Jack knew she would never doubt her friends' loyalty again.

Kyra looked at the camera on the wall, "Looks like they'll be missing out on a what could have been a good show" she smirked.

Jack got to her feet, "I don't know" she said and walked right up to the lens, looked up with a smirk and stuck up the middle finger of each hand.

"This enough action for ya?!" she laughed into the camera. Jack sat back down and laughed alongside Kyra.

"You know, maybe I'm a bad influence on you. You're turning into me more and more each day" Kyra smiled.

"That ain't a bad thing" Jack said, lying down flat on the bed, "I'm sick and tired of getting my ass kicked about because I'm just a kid" she added.

"Jack, you should know by now. Anyone who goes through this kinda shit ain't a kid no matter what their age is. You change, you get twisted out of shape. We maybe young in years, but surviving day to day makes you something else" she said, picking at a strand of hair.

Jack smiled, "And it makes you some what philosophical"

"And that, but mostly the changing thing" she replied.

Jack knew Kyra was right. Even though she was still only fifteen, she had no innocence left in her at all. She had seen things people couldn't even conjure up in their nightmares; she had been through things that would drive the mind mad. But she was still here, fighting to survive. She figured she got that from Riddick, his ability to detach himself from the horrors that were thrown his way, he just existed and didn't let it hurt him, only change him into something stronger and more resilient.

Both girls lay in a comfortable silence before they were rudely interrupted by the thick-necked guard who, with one flick of his wrist, shoved Jack off her bed and poured from a metal bucket, icy water all over her sheets.

"What the…?" Kyra yelled.

Jack painfully got to her feet and rubbed a hand over her spiky head where her skull connected with the hard floor, "Dr Redman's little joke" she explained, "Somehow he thinks this is going to make me talk" she said, loudly for the guard to hear.

"Pleasant dreams" he snarled and left, locking the door behind him.

Jack sighed and tried to clear as much of the ice off her bed as possible, but the sheets and pillow were already drenched and freezing cold.

"Here" Kyra offered, "Share mine, I think there's enough room here for both of us" she added. Jack smiled as Kyra shuffled right against the wall and made some room.

"Thanks Kyra" she began, but the camera in the corner caught her eye, "But I think we should at least look like we're still pissed off at each other. If Redman finds out we're chummy-chummy, he might use you to get me to talk. I don't think I could live with that" she mumbled and grabbing the sopping wet sheet, she lay it down on the hard ground, curled next to it and tried to fall into some form of unconsciousness.

It was when she was nearly asleep she felt a warm and inviting presence all around her. Kyra had grabbed her own sheet and pillow and was presently pressed up against Jack's back, shrouding both of them in the welcoming warmth.

Jack allowed a small smile to creep across her lips.

**-oOo-**

In must have been morning when the guards returned to collect Jack and Kyra. It was Banham and the other guard from the first day Jack spent in Isolation.

Kyra had returned her linen to her own bed and acknowledged Jacks thanks with a nod.

"Very disappointed girls," Banham said, shifting to remove the handcuffs from his trousers, "We were expecting a good scrap, but not even any hair-pulling" he tutted.

"Yeah" the other guard quipped, "But that cuddle under the covers was promising. Anything you wanna share?" he laughed.

Jack rolled her eyes at Kyra who did the same, "Men" she sighed, "Always thinking with their penis" she added.

Jack smiled but straightened her face when Benham looked at her, "Come on" he said and aggressively pushed the girls out of the room and back to join the population.

Once everyone had seen who had entered the room, the crowds started back to their own business and the girls were free to return to their end of the room. Tim rushed over and eyed them both suspiciously.

"You're both still alive?" he asked. Jack and Kyra sat on the ground.

"Of course, Tim" Jack replied, "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Well" he started, "I'm more surprised Kyra's still in one piece. The look on your face, Jack, scared the shit out of me"

"Well it was a misunderstanding" Kyra explained, "Anything happen while we were gone?" she asked.

Tim shrugged, "Only your old friend" he said to Jack, "the one who slugged you? Made some fuss about needing to see Redman and got dragged off"

Jack frowned and glanced towards the door as if expecting Kate to be standing there, but of course she wasn't, "why the hell would anyone _voluntarily_ want to see Redman?"

Kyra shrugged, "Your friend apparently" she replied

"She's not my friend" Jack sighed, "No anymore"

Kyra nodded with a laugh, "Oh right, yeah, because you couldn't save her before. Jesus, she should get over herself"

"It's not as simple as all that" Jack murmured, still feeling the cloud of guilt above her head.

Kyra waved her hand in the air dismissively, "Whatever. I say it as I see it"

Jack smirked and settled next to her friends and slipped into a quiet rest as she tried to think of anything but her next impending torture.

**-oOo-**

The mist parted before them as the Bluebird settled once again in the old scrap yard. The sky was a thick grey and wisps of fog swirled around in front of them like smoke. Imam seized his robes and hitched them above his ankles as he jumped out of the shuttle and onto the squelching mud below. Disgusted, he tried to run on tiptoes to join Riddick but still managed to get mud up his calves and on the hem of his robes.

"This filth" he muttered, "It gets everywhere"

Riddick walked behind him at a steady march and smirked to see Imam hopping alongside him.

"So how are we going to do this Riddick" Imam asked, "You said we _weren't_ going to knock on the front door"

"Step number one. When breaking and entering, scope out your environment" Riddick answered, he looked up at the towering building of the hospital. It was a good two miles away, but the building was so large he could almost count every window.

"I can't see anything in this cursed fog!" Imam muttered as he jogged alongside the assassin. They finally reached the edge of the yard where a flimsy wire fence separated a hilly stretch of land leading to the hospital, to the filth-ridden graveyard of the storage area.

Riddick heaved the metal fence off its hinges with a growl and shoved it into the dirt, splashing up fresh mud over Imam's legs. The Holy Man grunted but said nothing and followed Riddick at a quick sprint across the hilly verge, both men squinting down to avoid being sighted.

Huge heavy searchlights were perched on the roof of the building, gently and slowly swaying along the outskirts of the hospital's boundaries. When Riddick reached the top of the verge, he pushed Imam down with him so they lay flat on their stomachs against the moist grass.

"What is it Riddick?" Imam asked, getting a mouthful of the grass.

"Take a look" he replied. Imam strained his eyes, but all he could see were a few fuzzy lights in the distance.

"I cannot see anything, the fog is too thick" he explained, "What do you see?"

Riddick pushed his goggles further up his forehead and peered forward, "There's a checkpoint, two guards. There's a small patrol with high powered guns"

"So how do we do this?" Imam asked, his mouth suddenly dry with fear. Riddick looked at him.

"We need to find somewhere to sneak in" he replied. Imam fixed him with a questionable stare.

"Sneak? Since when did Riddick sneak?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, I'm not Superman, Holy Man. I don't know how many more guards are there" he bit back defensively. He turned his eyes back to the checkpoint.

"Don't places like these have back doors?" Imam asked.

"That's what I gonna find out" Riddick replied, getting to his feet.

"What about me?" Imam asked, also getting to his feet. Riddick studied him for a moment. He obviously didn't know what to do with Imam; it was risking it taking him along to rescue Jack. One, he could blow their cover. Two, he could get injured and slow Riddick down. And three, he could be killed. Riddick didn't know how that would affect him, but he wasn't willing to try it out.

"Stay close behind me" he finally replied. Imam nodded, and quickly as they could, they sprinted around to the back of the building and ducked behind another verge. A foul smell hit the two men hard in the face and almost sent Imam reeling.

"What in Allah's name is that stench?" he asked, holding his hand over his nose.

Riddick refused to answer, he knew what it smelt like, but didn't want to unnecessarily unnerve Imam.

Riddick lifted his head high enough to see the back entrance. It was a simple bunker-style entrance. A deep pit had been dug under the building and was concreted over with a large thick iron door, big enough to allow a full sized lorry to enter and exit.

"Is it well guarded?" Imam asked through his hand.

Riddick doubled checked, there was no one in sight, it was possible the door was operated from a control station inside the building and cameras allowed them to view who entered and excited the rear door. He looked closer and saw a camera right in front of the door, bearing down on anyone who came near.

"We wait for it to open. The door's operated from the inside" he explained.

"Oh" Imam coughed unenthusiastically. The stench was obviously getting too much for him, "Joyous"

**-oOo-**

**pottingshedpixie - Yeah I know, I am rather evil. Just wanna keep you guys hanging on. And Riddick will be kicking serious arse!**

**Death By Teacup - Apparently no, Kyra didn't tell Redman everything. Just a little red herring I put in there. Tee hee! Me evil!**

**angelwingz - Ah, sorry mate, she didn't tell. Kyra is defo I good person in this fic. Disappointed? Chuffed?**

**BatPhace - Ello cheeky! Haven't heard from you in a while. Sorry about the cliffie, couldn't resist!**

**Amita4ever - I know have this story mapped out from this point right up to the end, which is only a few chappies away, but there will be a comeback in Part II so no fear. Kyra's not gonna see Riddick at all until Chronicles of Riddick, althoughwise he'll suss that Jack and Kyra are two different people and the plot won't work.**

**A/N : Sorry people! It was really evil of me to put that bit about Kyra betraying Jack. Obviously she didn't, but I wanted to through a spanner in the works and spice things up a little. But no, Jack and Kyra are firm friends.**


	30. Something went Wrong

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

**Something went Wrong**

**-oOo-**

The weather had not improved some three hours later as Riddick and Imam lay patiently outside the bunker doors. Imam was beginning to question whether their plan was going to work while Riddick lay tensed beside him, his hand resting beside his shiv and his shining eyes starring at nothing other then the door.

The smell that was polluting the two men's senses was worse then ever and a small puddle of vomit beside Imam signified the extent of its power. Just as Imam thought he might pass out from the smell, something groaned from within the building.

Imam felt his nerves rattle within him, while a kind of excitement took over Riddick. He knew what he was feeling, it was the feeling he got just before he killed someone. It was almost like a drug to his system, he had gone cold-turkey since he discovered Jack's little secret and now the beast was awakening as it realised what Riddick intended to do. He allowed a smirk to crawl across his face. Richard B Riddick was back.

The bunker door shuddered and groaned again as it creaked upwards. Headlights from a tank like vehicle temporarily blinded Riddick; he pulled down his goggles and growled as the lorry crept over the threshold of the building and away down a mud churned roaded towards to source of the smell. Imam could see the lorry was hauling something, like a skip full of dark shadows, but the darkness prevented him from seeing inside. Though he assumed it was merely a rubbish lorry unloading its quarry.

"Stay here" Riddick hissed to Imam and then he got to his feet and ran low and fast towards the tank door, his shiv held out behind him as he charged. He leapt into the air, slashed out with the shiv and caught the camera, causing it to explode into little fragments and landed in a roll right under the bunker door as it began to close.

Imam lay still on the verge, his eyes leaving the bunker and following the lorry. He saw it unloading somewhere nearby, right over another verge and curiosity got the better of him. He just had to see what the hospital was expelling.

He got to his feet, unaware of how his old joints were aching from crouching from so long and painfully scurried up the other verge before throwing himself on his stomach.

He squinted and saw what appeared to be a large pit dug into the soil where a lot of rubbish had been dropped and left to rot; two men had left the lorry and were beginning to shift the waste from the vehicle. They were laughing and joking with each other, once held a torch and let it graze over the rubbish heap. And what Imam saw made his stomach churn as he lifted his hand and clasped it over his mouth.

Now it was evident where the smell was coming from. Down the verge, in the pit were hundreds of human bodies. All in different stages of decomposition.

"Allah!" Imam whispered, crossing himself and saying a prayer. Never had he seen such a sight. He prayed for the souls of those before him and he prayed hardest on hoping that Jack was not among them.

Imam was snapped from his thoughts as the bunker door groaned, anoucning itself. The guards below in the pit looked at one another with confusion on their faces and catiously began to walk towards the bunker.

Imam got to his feet and scurried back to where Riddick had told him to wait, he was standing siuetted at the opening, a blood drenched shiv held in one hand as he pulled his goggles off with the other.

The two guards shouted as Riddick came into view, both seemed weaponlesss apart from two batons which they enthusicastically wielded in the air as they ran full pelt towards Riddick.

Imam squinted as Riddick disarmed them both within two seconds. One guard lay headless at the criminals feet while the other lay with his own baton between his ribs. His silvery eyes looked up at Imam, the very eerie and hungry beast that had lurked there back on T2 had returned and Imam almost felt compelled to run in the other direction had it not been for Jack in his mind and the horror of the mutilated bodies lying in a pit, left to be forgotten.

He slowly got to his feet and caught up with Riddick at the door. Gingerly he stepped over the headless body and starred at Riddick, "I pray to Allah that you remember the true purpose of coming here tonight, Riddick" he said, looking sadly at the corpses.

"They have something of mine, ain't no other purpose then that" Riddick growled, turned his back on Imam and marched forward. Imam steeled himself and followed the monster into the monsters den.

-**oOo-**

Jack knew it was too good to be true. As the day dragged on and on, no one had come to collect her for her daily torture. She had beginning to think that maybe something else had them occupied, but soon the doors opened and the thick-necked guard entered with Kate strutting smugly in front.

Jack had an extremely bad feeling, something in Kate's expression told her something was very wrong. It was the way she caught her eye and there was a supreme triumphant look in them. Confidently she walked over to her normal group of friends and began to talk excitedly with them. The guard walked over to Jack, a smug grin plastered on her face.

"Yeah, and what are you so happy about?" Kyra asked. The guard's eyes stayed on Jack's frail figure; he didn't even seem to have noticed Kyra and Tim at her side.

"Well C132, I'd say goodbye to your friends if I were you" he said.

Jack frowned, _what the hell did that mean? Isolation? But I haven't done anything_.

"Meaning…?" she asked, her nerves on fire, something was very, very wrong.

"I'm going to enjoy watching you die" he smirked and hauled Jack to her feet, painfully by one of her injured arms. Kyra and Tim did likewise, standing next to Jack defensively.

"What the fuck is going on? Jack and I didn't tell Redman shit. He still needs her!" Kyra snapped.

The guard laughed and began to haul Jack across the room, Kyra and Tim shadowing her, but as they passed Kate, it seemed evident she had something she wanted to say.

"Do you know you talk in your sleep Audrey?" she chimed as she watched Jack being dragged away to her doom, "Your Riddick is as good as dead!"

Jack saw red and in an instant she had ripped her arm out of the guards grip and threw herself at Kate. Her friends jumped to the side as Jack bottled both of them over. Both girls were a flurry of flying fists and kicking legs.

"You bitch! You fucking bitch!" Jack yelled her eyes on fire and she hit Kate again and again, hardly aware of the wounds she was receiving herself.

The thick-necked guard was finding it hard to get a hold of Jack as she tore away at Kate so he called ahead for back-up. Two more guards blundered through the doors, Kyra saw what was going to happen and stuck her leg out, tripping one over as he reached for his baton.

"Get her Jack!" she yelled over her shoulder, but as she looked back, the guard was on his feet and swung the baton right at Kyra's face, knocking her out cold before she hit the floor. Tim rushed to her aid as the guards finally managed to pick the enraged Jack of the brutally bruised and bloodied Kate.

Jack was still swearing and kicking as she was hauled away from the girl on the floor, but she gingerly got to her feet and spat at Jack's feet. There was a bruised cut on her forehead, blood was steadily pouring from her nose and mouth, there were claw marks on her neck and her clothes were ripped and dishevelled like her hair. She glared at Jack.

"If I could, I would do it all over again! Now you know how it feels to be betrayed!" she hissed angrily. Jack fell limp in the guard's painful grip. Suddenly she felt tired and defeated. Nothing she could say or do now would take back what Kate had done.

"I hope it was worth it" she said.

Kate nodded, "Freedom. I get to walk out of this place, whereas you'll only leave on the body bus" she snapped.

Before Jack could open her mouth, the thick-neck guard spoke, "Actually" he smiled, "Change of plan" he said, and without another word, he reached into his holster, pulled out a pistol and fired it hitting Kate point blank between the eyes. She dropped to the floor in an instant, blood trailing from between her open and dead eyes.

Jack and everyone else in the room gasped, some screamed.

"No one gets out of here alive. Policy rules" the guard smirked, holstering his weapon and glaring down at Jack, "But Redman wants to kill you himself, lucky bastard" and with that Jack was being dragged out of the room kicking and screaming, the last image she saw was of Kyra lying unconscious on Tim's lap as his starred hopelessly at her.

Jack had never been so scared in her life. Of course she had been terrified on T2, but she had Riddick, now she was defenceless, facing Redman for the final time and he was going to kill her.

The reality hit her when they passed the operating rooms and headed downstairs to the Morgue itself.

The guards roughly pushed Jack inside, knocking her to the cold hard floor, her nostril automatically invaded by the stench of anti-septic and the whirling of the air conditioning.

A pair of black shoes came into view and stood by her head; she slowly looked up and saw Dr Redman, ruffling his moustache with a smile on his face, "Hello Audrey. I assume your 'friend' filled you in on all of the details. It seems you did give me what I wanted after all" he added and nodded to the guard.

Jack was pulled to her feet and held between the two guards. Jack looked around and saw the morgue for all its metallic beauty. There were twelve metal beds lined up, six on each side of the room. All sorts of autopsy tools lay on trays beside the beds, sinks and storage lined up against the walls. Three of the beds were already occupied, white sheets draped over the corpses.

I'm going to be one of them, Jack thought with a shudder.

"I thought it better to save time and avoid the mess by finishing you off here" Dr Redman explained as he stepped up to Jack and lowered his head to her eye level, "You have been quite a little thorn in my side, Audrey. You were trouble from the start" he hissed into her ear, but then he straightened up.

"You put up quite a fight in the interrogation, Audrey. I was impressed, but now I'll get to see the extent of your pain threshold, soon, you'll be begging me to finish you off" he smirked. He nodded behind her at the guards who hauled her towards one of the beds and lifted her, laying her flat on her back on the cold steel.

Two men walked into the room, draped in white gowns, face marks and pulling surgical gloves onto their hands. "We're ready Dr Redman" one of them nodded.

Jack found herself strapped down, unable to move, unable to breathe for she was so afraid. Her eyes never left Redman, she wanted to watch every move he made, but a part of her could not bear to see his joy at the pain he inflicted.

"Well then" Dr Redman smiled, clapping his hands together, "Let's get on with it shall we?"

**-oOo-**

**pottingshedpixie - Ah! Remind me never to get on the wrong side of you! I WILL be continuing with this story, right up to the end. I don't agree with beginning a story and not finishing it. I get fustrated when I'm reading a good story on this website and then find its not finished at the author has no interest in completing it - I get SO mad! Ahh!**

**angelwingz21 - Well now you know the stench is the rotting corpses - yuck. Just had to throw that bit in there. After all, they have to go somewhere!**

**Death By Teacup - Thanks! I don't know where the ice thing came from, just popped in my head, like most things.**

**blueberri204 - Hey, haven't heard from you in a whole, but thanks!**

**Claudzion - Watch out for Part II, Tim will make an appearance, shame about Kyra though. I wish she didn't die in CoR. She's so awesome! **

**A/N : Wow! 30 chapters and so near the end, then I've got to write Part II! The pressure!!**


	31. Did not know who he was fuckin With

**Chapter Thirty**

**Did not know who he was fuckin' With**

**-oOo-**

Nothing could stop him; he was on a mission that he had every intention of completing, because if he didn't, it would mean Jack would die.

Imam had to keep reminding himself that the assassin in front of him was actually on his side, he looked so monstrous and dangerous it seemed almost impossible for there to be any good intentions behind those silvery eyes.

Corridor after corridor, Riddick showed no fear of the guards that walked in his way, Imam jumped to the side every time a baton-clad guard rounded the corner and saw Riddick strolling towards them, and in a second, before a word could be said, he'd twisted their neck, broken their limbs or slashed open a few throats so they lay motionless at their feet.

Imam shuddered, Riddick wasn't even trying to be subtle, he wasn't trying to make a quiet entrance, and he wanted to kill these people because it was what he was good at.

"Riddick!" Imam called after almost ten minutes of strolling down corridor after corridor, "We're not getting anywhere, do you think it possible to leave one guard alive to tell us where Jack might be?" he offered, afraid he might anger the beast.

Riddick starred at him, "It did cross my mind, but these guards know shit" he smirked and carried on down the corridor.

"Because you kill them before giving them a chance!" Imam said exasperated as another guard walked round the corner. He saw Riddick, then Imam, his face startled, but then he charged forward his baton held high. Riddick caught it as it thundered down towards his skull and twisted the guard round, pressing his back to his chest and holding the baton tightly across the guard's throat.

"Ask him them" Riddick growled as the man in his grip struggled to get loose.

Imam gingerly stepped closer to the captured guard, "Where is the prisoner known as Jack?" he asked in a faltering voice.

The guard shook his head, his face beginning to turn purple, "What the hell are you talking about?!" he chocked, "There're hundreds of inmates in here, I don't know their names!" he cried.

Imam caught the smirk on Riddick's face as snapped the guard's neck and dropped the body to the ground. Imam clutched his heart at being so close to the man as his life was extinguished and glared at Riddick.

"Was that necessary?" he asked.

"Completely" Riddick replied and began walking down the corridor, "and I told you, these are only lackeys, they only keep the prisoners from escaping we need someone with more authority" Riddick explained.

They rounded another corridor and found themselves facing through a glass window in a large room full of people all wearing the same uniform, huddled in groups, talking, crying, laughing. All were weathered, fragile and unhealthy looking.

"Dear God!" Allah cried his nose pressed up against the glass, "There're hundreds of them!" he exclaimed.

"We're not here for them," Riddick muttered, making to turn away, but Imam's shrill voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Riddick, you cannot suggest we leave these poor souls like this? We are here and able to help, we must!"

Riddick turned on the spot, "Ain't no hero, Holy Man, that's your Gods job"

Imam pursed his lips and crossed his arms over his chest, "And if that were true, you would not be here to save Jack" he said smugly.

Riddick growled, but it was cut short when a burly man, almost as big as Riddick rounded the corner. There was an evil glint in his eye as he recognised the potential of a good fight. He cracked his knuckles and his big, beefy neck.

A smirk drew across Riddick's face and slowly he turned on the spot, squaring himself up to the guard in front of him.

"Do you think he knows where Jack is?" Imam asked timidly from behind Riddick.

"Jack?" The guard asked in a deep, graveling voice and chuckled, "You mean that skinny, bald headed runt Audrey?"

"Audrey?" Riddick chuckled as well, but Imam gasped.

"Riddick! The boy, Wilkins, he called Jack, Audrey!" Imam cried.

Riddick eyed the preacher angrily for shouting his name, but the guard seemed almost ecstatic.

"Ah, so you're Riddick! The big, bad assassin who couldn't kill a little girl" the guard sneered.

Riddick turned to scowl at the beefy guard, "You gotta problem?" he asked in a dangerously low voice.

"Pussy shit" the guard spat, "I autta put you out of your fucking misery right now"

Riddick growled again, clenched his fists and dived for the guard. He was prepared and set himself against the full weight of Riddick, both men clashed and were a barrage of fists and elbows.

Riddick caught the guard under the chin with his fist and knocked him right through the doubles doors, he flew through the air and landed at the feet of some very confused inmates. The room fell silent as they watched the beefy man struggle to his feet, a stream of blood pouring from the back of his head. Riddick strolled into the room with Imam at his heels.

"I beseech you, young man. Tell us where Jack is before you are killed" Imam asked pleadingly.

The guard chuckled and lifted his tightened fists to his face, "You're going to have to better then that, bitch" he sneered.

"Ain't had a good fight for ages" Riddick sneered and lifted his own hands to his face.

Imam sighed, if only the man was as powerful with words as he was with his fists.

**-oOo-**

Jack lay shivering as the cold water sloshed around her, her clothes were soaking and goosebumps rose on her flesh. But the cold and wet was not the torture Dr Redman was promising. Not soon after pouring the water over her had another surgeon brought in an ominous looking machine with all sorts of dials and knobs as well as a few cables and wires.

_Shit_, she thought. Dr Redman and the two surgeons began attaching the wires to certain points of the metal bed, Jack shuddered as she realised what was going to happen. They were going to fry her.

The whole insane situation made Jack laugh. She didn't know why, she just never thought she would go out like this, after monsters, bounty hunters and assassins, she was going to be electrocuted in a fucking morgue. It was shitting ridiculous.

The two surgeons looked at Dr Redman questionably, he himself was frowning, "Hardly an occasion for laughter, Audrey. You're going to die and no one is coming to save you. I hope you're aware of that" he said, a hint of irritation in his voice.

She smiled, she had gotten to him, and he thought he was this big, bad doctor, but truth was he hated people mocking him; he wanted people to fear him. And in the face of death, she was laughing at him. And that made him angry. Jack was resolved; she would ruin his enjoyment in this as much as she could. It was the best she could do to dignify her own death.

"Bite me, cheese dick. I'm loving this, I haven't had a proper wash in ages" she grinned, wiggling herself to cause the water to move in waves over her. It was painfully cold, but the look of contempt on his face was worth it.

"Do it!" Dr Redman snapped to one of the surgeons. The leapt into action and flicked a few switches, causing the machine to buzz into life. Jack stiffened herself for the pain, but she couldn't have prepared herself for it when it came. Her entire body was alight with agony, her bones shook, her teeth chattered, her eyeballs felt like they were burning out of her skull and her brain felt it might explode. There was a booming in her ears that blotted out every other noise, even her own painful screaming.

Suddenly the pain ceased and her body flopped back into the water. She felt as though she had run a marathon, her whole body ached and groaned.

Dr Redman leaned over her to look into her eyes; "I will make you suffer" he smiled.

"Looking at your face is torture enough, what's with the electrocution?" she smiled back.

His eyes flared red and he ordered another bolt, the agony shot through her body again, possibly worse then the first time. Jack almost fell unconscious with the pain, and she wished she had, but she stayed awake to feel every last bit of torture.

**-oOo-**

The guard charged forward like a bull, head down with his arms at his side, Riddick slammed his fist into the mans spine, knocking him to the ground, but he was up in seconds, more red-faced and with a vicious vein throbbing in his thick neck.

He tried punching Riddick who dodged the fist expertly, and pummelled him in the stomach, causing the guard to double over before bring a knee up to his face. The guard stumbled, gripping a bloody nose. Angrily he growled and pulled from his holster a pistol, Riddick pulled a shiv from his own waistband and stood ready, squaring each other off. The crowd around them screamed and backed off on seeing the gun, Imam prayed for his friend and stood back.

The guard raised the gun, level with Riddick's head, "You'll never save her!" he growled.

Suddenly, a small boy threw himself on the back of the guard and began punching, kicking and scratching the mans' face. The guard screamed in agony, shot the gun into the air and flipped the kid off his back in one movement, but before he could charge a kick at the child, Riddick was already behind him and had the guard in a bone crunching headlock.

"Where is the girl?" he demanded.

The guard choked, "Fuck you!"

Riddick held him tighter, "Where. Is. The. Girl?" he hissed through gritted teeth.

"Fuck. You!" The guard yelled, Riddick growled and with a quick movement jerked the guards neck with a crack and let the body fall to the ground.

"Riddick!" Imam yelled, "Now we may not reach Jack in time!" he cried.

Riddick growled, he was aware of that, but the bastard had it coming. No one walked away from a fight with Richard B Riddick.

"Are you guys talking about Jack?" said a small voice. Riddick looked on the ground and saw the small boy who had jumped the guard picking himself up and dusting his trousers down.

"Do you know where she is, boy?" Imam asked, stepping forward.

"I don't know where they took her, but if I had to guess, I would say the Interrogation rooms would be your best bet. Dr Redman's ordered her execution"

"When?" Imam gasped.

The boy ruffled his messy dark hair, "They took her about half an hour ago. I hope you're not too late" he said.

"Where's the Interrogation rooms" Riddick demanded.

After quick directions, Riddick turned on his heels and ran, but Imam turned to the crowds of curious inmates, "You are all free now! Run towards the rear exit, do it now before back up comes! And may Allah be with you all!" he shouted, and without a moments hesitation, the crowds began to rush towards the exit in excited and nervous huddles.

Imam pushed his way through and saw Riddick foot disappear down another corridor, desperately he ran to catch up.

**-oOo-**

Jack coughed and saw blood spurt from her mouth and run down her chin. Her ears were painful and she felt the blood trickle out of them. Her body was aching and shaking with the pain and cold. She was surprised she had held on for this long, how long had it been? Twenty minutes? It felt like hours, but she was proud of herself for fighting. Dr Redman was growing impatient, and Jack's _not-so-kind_ words were driving him mad. He vented his frustration by throwing things at the surgeons

"Is that all you got, four-eyes?" Jack choked, "I hardly felt anything that time"

The suddenly a high shrill alarm reverberated across the room, a spiralling red light reflected off the metal around her. Dr Redman looked all around him in a panic; the doors swung open and half a dozen guards, all well armed.

"What the hell is going on?!" Dr Redman ordered. One of the guards stepped forward.

"Sir, the inmates are trying to escape. We have reports of two intruders heading this way," he explained.

Dr Redman was beside himself, "That's impossible! This place is impenetrable! I want them dead, do you hear me! Kill anyone trying to escape, I want armed guards here to protect this room!" he ordered.

One of the men rushed off, shouting ordered into a walkie-talkie. Dr Redman eyed the surgeons, "Well what are you waiting for, finish her!" he growled.

Jack's moment of hope was ruined as the shocking pain reverberated around her again, but she could feel the distinctive slack of the restraint around her left wrist.

**-oOo-**

The man squealed and squirmed as Riddick held him by his neck in the air. His air was rapidly running out, but Riddick was relentless. Imam stood some distance behind him, completely horrified by the display of raw power. Riddick was covered his blood, none of it his own, and a trail of dead bodies lay behind them, with the promise of more to come.

"Where is Redman?" Riddick growled. The man chocked, trying to pull himself free, but with no avail, evidently he realised his only way to survive would be to tell Riddick what he knew.

"The Morgue!" he cried. Riddick dropped him and went on his way, following the signs towards the Morgue, alarms began to sound, but Riddick didn't care, he ran with a purpose, slashing at anyone who got in his way with his shiv. Imam ran behind, trying not to slip on the puddles of blood or get in the way of the spray. He felt as though he might be sick, but held his stomach, thinking only of getting to Jack.

They finally rounded the last corner and bundled right into several guards on watch. Riddick didn't hesitate, he jumped into he air, holding his shiv aloof and brought it down onto the skull of the nearest guard. He yanked it back out and slid it expertly across the throat of another before snapping another neck. Three more guards stood before the door, Riddick growled and kicked the middle one, sending him crashing into the room where he was faced with numerous loaded weapons.

**-oOo-**

Jack heard a commotion outside the door when s suddenly something flew in and knocked the bed she was lying on clean off its legs. She landed with a bang onto the ground, her limbs still attached to the table as the water rushed over her. She felt the restraint on her left wrist give way to the force and she helped it along by tugging her arm out viciously from the strap. Despite the pain and the cold, she hastily untied herself with her shaking, nimble fingers and fell the rest of the way to eh ground in a puddle of water.

She could hear fighting behind the table and crawled, using her arms to drag herself along to poke her head around the obstruction. Her heart leapt as she recognised Riddick in all his glory, slashing, kicking and just beating the shit out of anyone who dared come near him. She couldn't see Imam, he was probably getting out of the way, but for a moment the pain subsided as she realised he did care for her, he had come back to save her despite what the old Riddick would have done. It warmed her heart. But then her eyes found Dr Redman, huddled in the corner, trying to stay out of sight. A poor sight from the once smirking and sophisticated doctor a few minutes before, now he was whimpering like a baby. It tasted sweet on Jack's lips, but as she glanced around, she saw the decapitated body of a guard, and at his hip, in holster was a gun.

Gingerly she reached for it, totally prepared for what she was about to do.

**-oOo-**

Riddick saw Jack lying, soaking wet and bleeding on the morgue bed. If possible, he grew even angrier, he even tore the jaw off one man in his fit of rage, something he had never accomplished in his long life as a murderer. His enemies went down in front of him like blades of grass, there wasn't one man who lasted longer then two seconds as he cut them down until the floor was slippery with blood and the room stank of it. Only when the last man went down did he find Jack lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood and drenched in water, pointing a pistol at a man with a moustache and a white lab coat.

"Jack. That's a very uncivilised thing you're about to do" Riddick growled.

Jack was panting, trying to keep herself awake whilst aiming the gun at the doctor.

"You don't want to kill me, Audrey, do you?" the man whimpered, getting to his feet and leaning on a sink behind him.

"Shut the fuck up!" Jack snapped, her finger itching on the trigger. Riddick's eyes widen, Jack really was going to kill him, and he could see it in her eyes.

"Please, Audrey…"

"I'd do as she says, doctor, she's a mite twitchy" Riddick smirked, but his attention turned to Jack, "If you want me to do it, Baby Bad, just ask"

"I need to do this, Riddick. He did this to me, to my friends" she hissed, trying to move but finding it too painful, settled back on the ground.

"But I had the best intentions!" Dr Redman squeaked; "To make the world a better place!" he cowered.

"I said SHUT UP!" Jack shouted and let the pistol go off in her hand. The doctor stumbled, clutching his shoulder and cried in pain. Jack had hit him, but not fatally. Shaking he looked at his bleeding arm and with wide eyes starred at Jack.

"You shot me!" he yelled.

"A hell of a lot less painful then what you were doing to me, you prick!" she shouted back and clicked the gun again, aiming for a headshot.

There was a noise as Imam stumbled into the room and made note of what was happening in front of him. He gaped like a fish having figured Jack was about to kill a man. His sweet, innocent Jack.

"What are you doing, Jack? If you harm this man, you'll be no better then them" he pleaded.

"He can't be left alive to start this all over again. He's a monster," she wheezed, blinking blood out of her eyes.

"Holy Man, I don't think your sermons and wise words are gonna be any use here" Riddick grumbled, putting his hand out to silence the old man.

"Glad you could make it, Riddick. I thought I was just a distant memory by now" Jack smiled through her grief and pain.

"Wouldn't be a good friend if I let you die here" he smiled. Jack breathed through her smile but gritted her teeth from the pain, "What're you going to do Jack?" he asked.

"Kill this bastard" Jack muttered without hesitation.

"I'm all for that, but you realise that afterwards, you ain't gonna be able to take it back"

"I don't wanna take it back" Jack hissed, "He killed my friends, he tortured me, he was gonna KILL me!" she yelled.

"I get that, Baby Bad" Riddick said, "But are ya prepared to live with the consequences of murdering a human in cold blood" he asked calmly.

"You do" Jack replied, her gun still trained on Redman, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Not an answer to my question, Jack. Are you prepared to become a killer?" he asked.

Jack pondered the question and came to the conclusion that no other man deserved to die by her hand then the man in front of her. She raised the pistol, aimed it right between his eyes, but before she even pulled the trigger, Riddick had dashed across the room standing between Redman and Jack and slashed the doctor across the throat, blood spurting across his face and torso as the body slumped to the ground.

Jack could hardly believe what had happened. Dr Redman was dead, but not by her hand, by Riddicks, a man who had no reason to kill him.

"Riddick!" Jack yelled angrily, but the effort of trying to get to her feet and beat the living crap out of the assassin was far too much and she slumped to the ground herself, unconscious.

**-oOo-**

Jack awoke painfully from a deep and restless sleep. She saw flashes of blood, her own and her enemies. She saw a gun in her hand and a shiv in Riddicks. She saw Dr Redman, dead on the ground, Riddick standing over him.

Her eyes flicked open to a subtle darkness, she was enveloped in a warm sheets but felt sore and achy from being electrocuted. Her arms were rebandaged, but she was still in her uniform. Obviously Riddick and Imam had felt uncomfortable about changing her, she preferred if they didn't, she was still finding it hard to accept her feminine curves.

Jack closed her eyes and leaned into the soft pillow. All she knew now was that she was safe, and that Riddick had come back for her. A pang of guilt made her go cold as she thought of Kyra and Tim, she hoped they had escaped in the confusion, if not she would return for them as soon as she had healed up. Without Redman, that place would fall apart.

She thought back to Riddick killing Redman. She couldn't stay angry with him, he had tried to save her from that life, his life. Although a part of her would still feel empty from missing that opportunity at revenge, she was more thankful that he had come back for her.

She rolled over and painfully swung her legs out of bed. The smell of the room was familiar; they were in the motel they had stayed in on first arriving to Zathos. Jack crept gingerly out of the room and could hear raised voices out in the corridor. Carefully she leaned against the doorframe to rest her weary limbs and listened.

"What are you going to tell her?" Imam asked.

"Nothing, I'll leave that to you, Holy Man" Riddick replied.

"You cannot think to leave her without an explanation, she deserves something!"

"She's not safe around me, she has a better chance with you in New Mecca"

"What happened to Mathos Wenga? Wasn't that the plan?" Imam asked.

"I try and make of point of not making plans, they always go wrong. New Mecca is safe for you and Jack, not a murdering convict. I need to go underground, it'll be a few days before it gets out that Big Bad Riddick is alive and kicking ass"

"So you won't even say good bye" Imam asked sadly.

"Nothing but words, Holy Man, she's a tough kid, she'll be all right" Riddick muttered.

"Very well, Riddick. If I cannot make you stay, please promise me you will take care," Imam said.

"Always do, see ya around" Riddick replied.

Jack could feel the tears pricking her eyes. He was leaving her and without saying goodbye. Her heart was in her throat and her wounds throbbed, but she couldn't let him leave. Desperately she stumbled out off the room, Imam looked at her in horror, having realised she had heard everything.

"Jack?" he offered, but she pushed past him.

"I have to see him" she growled and without much dignity, stumbled up the stairs and threw herself out of the motel. Riddick was stalking away, but he was within hearing distance as she shouted his name. He paused, stopping in his steps, but he refused to turn around.

"You were going to leave? Without saying goodbye!" she cried as she caught up with him. Riddick cocked his head to the right.

"Good bye Jack" he muttered.

"Jesus Riddick! Don't leave us, you need us just as much as we need you!"

"I don't need anyone Jack!" Riddick snapped, "Now go back to Imam, he'll take care of you now"

"But I want you to take care of me, Riddick!" Jack yelled, the tears welling and pouring down her cheeks, "I love you!" she sobbed.

"No you don't, kid" Riddick grumbled, "It's time for you to grow up"

"No!" Jack shouted as the murderer began to walk away. She felt arms around her and found Imam was holding her back, but she was so weak and overcome with grief, she was no match and cried in the mans arms as her hero and friend walked out of her life forever.

"He will always be with you, Jack" Imam whispered as her crying turned to whimpering, "He'll always be with you. He's doing what he thinks is best, for all of us"

"But I love him" Jack whimpered. Imam gently cradled her in his arms.

"I know, my darling, and deep within him, I know he cares for you too. But he doesn't want this life for you, he's offering you a better one"

Jack heard a rumble in the distance as the Bluebird descended into the air and disappeared into the cloudy sky. So this was it. Riddick was gone. He had left her. He had saved her life countless of times, but here she felt like she was dying all over again and Riddick had been the cause. So she lay there, cradled in Imam's arms until she made a new resolution for herself.

She would stop feeling, she would stop caring and she would never, _never_ let Richard B Riddick back into her life.

Quietly she got to her feet aided by Imam and starred at the cloudy sky. The shuttle and the man she adored more then anything, disappearing into the smoke as if he had never been there.

**THE END**

**-oOo-**

**Niffler01 - Wouldn't have it any other way, Riddick wouldn't let his Jack die. Thanks for reviewing!**

**christi9133 - Wow, I got a lot of support for killing Kate off, no sympathy for her what-so-ever, which isn't really surprising!**

**Amita4ever - Yeah I do prefere writing in the official timeline, specially in COR as there's so many blanks in which to fill!**

**Death by Teacup - Thanks mate!**

**BatPhace - Cheers for the review, another Kate hater!**

**hlp - Well if you call slashing him across the throat as something horrible then yep! Thanks mate.**

**A/N : Phew! Well it's been a long run and I'd like to thank all my reviewers for staying true and supporting me, especially BatPhace and Amita4ever who have been with me since the beginning. You rock! I will be starting Part II in the New Year, I just want a chance to finish my other fan fics and to get my head around the new plot, though I pretty much know where it's heading. So I'll leave you will a few questions to ponder on; did Tim and Kyra escape? Will Jack see them again? Will Riddick discover that Kyra was not Jack? Oww, I'm so evil! Peace out for now, love you all!**


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